Love, life and lies
by Dolly-999
Summary: Sequel to A shattered hearts dreams. Jack's still in jail and is finding it hard to deny his feelings for Martha, but how will his dying wife Serena react? Please read and review, I won't be continuing until I've got 2 reviews after each update.
1. Old flames

_**Love, life and lies.**_

_Sequel to 'A shattered hearts dreams_

Hey guys this is the sequel to A shattered hearts dreams. Read Some life for a princess, then A shattered hearts dreams first before reading, it will all make a lot more sense then.

_Chapter number 1. Old flames_

Jack sat at the edge of his jail cell as he listened to his wife Serena talk, listening to her had been one of the highlights of his days for the last three months, she had so much to talk about, stuff that he could no longer be a part of anymore, even the little things that happened, small comments that had been said, he enjoyed hearing all of it.

"Well I have too get going, I'm due back at work" Serena told him leaning against the bars and giving him a kiss.

"Ok, bye".

"Bye, see you tomorrow".

"Hey" Martha greeted both of them as she entered with little chirpy Dylan skipping along ahead of her.

"Hey, how's the birthday boy?" Serena exclaimed getting down on her knees to give Dylan a hug.

"He's had a very big day so far" Martha told them as Dylan run up to the bars to see his daddy.

"Anyway I really have to go so I'll leave you three alone" Serena told them exiting through the door and closing it behind her.

"So little buddy, did you have a good party?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, you should have been there, it was so cool, the balloons were like this big!" Dylan exclaimed stretching his arms out as far as he could.

"Sounds like a lot of fun".

"So how's Jack holding up?" Beth asked Serena who was washing up some glasses behind the counter at Noah's bar.

"Fairly well actually considering the circumstances, but you can tell he just wants to come back home".

"Yeah, it's got to be hard being isolated from everything you love. How are you holding up?"

"I'm just taking one day at a time, I just hope the lawyer hurries up with his negotiation over Jack's sentence, cause i don't know how much more of this I can take".

"You'll get there" Beth told her patting he on the back, "I'm sure you'll get there".

"Thanks Beth".

Beth just smiled starting to get back to work serving customers, "any time".

"Poor little guy, he must be all tuckered out" Jack commented, looking at Dylan asleep on Martha's lap, "he was so energetic before".

"Yes, well that was thanks to a lot of red cordial" Martha smiled also looking down at Dylan, running her hands through his hair gently.

"Martha" Jack started.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever wonder what might of happened if we did know what was going on on that night?"

Martha just looked at him blankly for a moment, "what night?"

"The night of your coming up party"

"Only every day" she said softly.

"Really?"

Martha nodded, "why is this coming up now?"

"Well, just lately, having so much thinking time, I've started thinking about what I could of done differently..."

"So you wouldn't of ended up in here?"

"Yeah, why did all this have to happen?"

"I don't know Jack, but trying to change the past isn't going to help any of this".

"I know, but-"

"Look Jack I'm not saying that you have to like the past, if I could go back then I'd change a lot too".

"Like what?"

"Like running away from Summer bay in the first place" she told him creating a deadly few seconds of silence. "What would of happened if I'd stayed Jack? I mean, would things of turned out the way they have?" she questioned, Jack's sudden dwelling on the past had got her asking questions too.

"I don't know, but things would of definitely been significantly different... We could of still been together" he added, without thinking, this cell seemed to make a lot come out that normally wouldn't of.

"Yeah, we could of" she whispered, they both locked eyes and looked deep into each other, this wasn't something that ether of them had ment to do. "Look why are we bringing any of this up anyway?" Martha broke out of the moment, shaking her head slightly, "I mean, things are different now, you've got Serena, remember? Were just friends aren't we?"

Jack and Martha both looked into each other's eyes again, Martha could see that the answer was no, but the words came out differently, even though they both knew it was a lie "Yeah, um, sorry, yeah were just friends" Jack apologized also snapping out of it.

"Anyway I should probably get this little rascal home into his own bed" Martha said trying to avoid the orquadness that had been created.

"Um, yeah, see ya".

"Bye".

_Please review, I would really love to hear what you think of it so far._


	2. Hit and run

Thanks for the review Amy, here's the next chapter.

_Chapter number 2. Hit and run_

"Well I'm off" Serena said trowing her tea towel on the bench before coming through to the other side where the customers usually stood.

"Ok I'll see you back home then" Beth answered taking some papers into the store room.

Serena exited through the big double doors of the surf club, feeling the cold breeze suddenly blow on her as she got out side. It was dark and the bright moon could be seen shinning across the water making Serena smile as she walked towards her car in the car park in front of the beach, and some how it distracted her from what was coming slowly and cautiously behind her, a car that had been waiting around the corner for hours now came up behind her and any sound that it was still making was blocked out from the sound of her mobile. She fiddled through her bag to find it and answered it in a hurry before it went to voice mail. "Hello?"

"Hey Serena, it's Tony".

"Oh hey Tony"

"Look just wondering if you and Beth are heading home soon?"

"Yeah well Beth's still closing up and I'm on my way to the car right now" she told him, going through her bag to find her keys, by now the mysterious car was only a meter behind her, she looked around to see what it was, she tried to get away, but there wasn't enough time, the car move quickly in a matter of seconds, hitting her hard.

"Serena? Are you still there? What was that noise?" he started, "Hello?" But she didn't answer, she was lying on the ground, still as could be, he phone lying on the ground about thirty centimeters away from her.

In the distance the mysterious car raced away, in the drivers seat was a very evil Matt, or as Martha would say 'clone Sean'.

"Come on Dylan it's bed time" Martha called down the hall way from the bathroom, "come and brush your teeth".

"No I don't want to" Dylan complained.

"Well to bad, even birthday boy's need their sleep" she told him picking him up and carrying him on her side to the basin where she put him down.

"Mummy" he started.

"Yes?" she answered as she put toothpaste on his tooth brush and knelt down to his level to help him clean his teeth.

"How come daddy doesn't live with us like Jason's daddy lives with him?"

Martha was lost for words, she knew he'd ask something like this one day, but she hadn't actually thought of the answer, "um, well, sometimes" she started, she was going to have to lie to him this time, "sometimes families are just different, like Jason's family is different to ours".

"But why mum?" he asked innocently.

"Because it just is" she told him, "now come on we need to brush those teeth of yours".

"Serena's taking her time" Maddie commented from across the lounge room.

"Yeah she is, I hope nothings happened, cause she hung up in a hurry" Tony told her.

"Well if everything was alright, don't you think she'd be home already?" Lucas butted in.

"Yeah I think Lucas is right, it's been an hour already" Maddie added.

"Well I'll see if Beth will answer her phone this time then" Tony told them getting back up off the couch.

"Hello?" Beth's voice sounded through the phone.

"Look Beth, Serena wouldn't be there by any chance would she?"

"Well hello to you too honey" Beth said sarcastically as she walked towards the car park.

"Sorry, there's just a few worried faces here cause she said she was on her way home an hour ago".

"Well I haven't seen her since she left" she told him, "wait-".

"What?"

"Look Tony I'll call you back in a minute, bye" she said hanging up in a hurry, "Serena" she exclaimed squatting down on the ground in the middle of the car park shaking Serena's arm, "Serena, can you here me?"

_Please review._


	3. The heartbroken mother

_Chapter number 3. The heartbroken mother_

"Is she ok?" Maddie asked racing in the hospital doors to where her mother who was sitting on a blue plastic chair of the waiting room of the hospital, Tony and Lucas were right behind her.

"We don't know yet sweet" she explained, "the doctors only took her in ten minutes ago".

"But she's still alive isn't she?" Lucas asked.

"Well they haven't came out and told me otherwise" Beth told them.

"Hey" Rose greeted a very lost Martha who was walking towards the couch she was sitting on reading a magazine.

"Hey" Martha said softly.

"What's wrong?"

Martha sighed, "before Dylan asked me why his daddy didn't live with us like his friend's dad's live with them".

"Martha I thought you'd already realized that it was going to happen one day".

"Yeah, but, I never thought it was going to happen soon. I got such a shock when he asked me, and then I came to realize that one day he's going to sit in the car on the way home from visiting Jack and ask why his dad's in jail, what am I supposed to do then, am I supposed to just say, 'oh he just killed someone that's all, no big deal'".

"Look we'll take it as it comes, ok?".

"Ok".

"It's more than just Dylan isn't it?" Rose said after watching Martha for a second.

"You know me too well" Martha answered, with most other people she would of just said nothing else was wrong, but over all the years she had known Rose one thing she'd learned was never to lie to her, she could see right through you.

"It's Jack isn't it?"

"Why do you know everything?"

"I don't, I just couldn't help noticing that you've been a bit on edge ever since you came back from visiting him.

Martha sighed, "while I was there, just out of nowhere Jack asked me if I ever wondered what things would be like if we'd both known what we were doing on the night of my coming up party, and then some how he got me started on wondering how things could have been if I'd done things differently".

"Oh, I see".

"Then I said something about what would it be like if I had never run away from Summer bay in the first place" she told her, "then he said a few things I can't remember, but the last thing he said was-" she paused for a moment, "he said we might of still been together".

"And how do you feel about that?" Rose asked not knowing whether to take it as a good thing or a bad thing.

"I don't know, after that I just asked why this was bing brought back up, and asked if we were still just friends. He had this look in his eyes like he was trying to tell me that he still loved me, but it came out completely different".

"Oh Martha".

"The weird thing was that he still seemed like he wanted to say we weren't just friends, but that it was too complicated".

"Serena?"

"Yeah, Serena" Martha answered, "I mean, I like the girl, shes not the person I first thought she was, but, I don't know..."

"Look things will work out" Rose comforted her.

"Yeah maybe one day, but that's what everyone has tried to tell me for years, but not much has changed".

"Don't say that Martha, have you forgotten what life was like for both of us just over three years ago? We were in slavery, you can't honestly tell me that not much has changed".

Martha looked back up at Rose, taking her eyes away from her hands that she'd been stairing at before, "Rose the circumstances might of changed, but life just a complicated, maybe even more complicated".

"Look, it might be complicated, bu Martha, you have so many people around you that love and care for you that you didn't have in slavery".

"I know" she whispered, "I know".

Back at the hospital in the emergency room Serena was being operated on. "Pulse rate?" the doctor asked.

"Normal" the assistant nurse answered.

"Heart rate?"

"Normal too, everything seems to be normal on this chart" the nurse told him.

"Then why the hell isn't she waking up?"

"Look, we should probably run some more tests, there's probably a logical explanation for all this" the nurse told the doctor.

"Yeah, where to start is the question, can you go check her medical history again for me, I'm just going to do another blood test".

"Ok, I'll be back in a minute then" the nurse said picking up her clipboard and leaving the room. As soon as she'd left the doctor put down the syringe that was in his hand and lent over.

"You better not wake up Serena, cause if they find out that I spiked your drink, or that I ran you over then I'm going to come after you, and your never going to know what hit you, you might have been lucky to get away from Sean, but your not going to get away from me" he threatened.

_Please review, I'd really like to hear what you think._


	4. Don't try messing with me

Ok so I haven't been getting any reviews lately and I'm starting to wonder if anyone is actually reading this, please if you do read this I would really appreciate it if you reviewed, it doesn't take very long to do, and I'd really like to hear your opinion, even if you don't like it or you think there's something I could be doing better.

_Chapter number 4. Don't try messing with me_

"What's taking them so long?" Maddie grizzled, it was the millionth time she'd asked this.

"I don't know, if I knew I would of told you the first time you asked" Beth groaned impatiently.

"Sorry mum, I'm just worried".

"We all are" Lucas added giving her a hug.

Out of the corner of her eye, Beth could see a doctor opening the door of Serena's room, she ran up to him quickly before he could open the door, "Is she going to be ok?"

"I don't know, just let me look at the patient first".

"But she's been in there for half an hour, how could nobody of looked at her?" Beth told him, she recognized him from somewhere, she just couldn't remember where.

"Well I'm sure another doctor has been in to see her, were in a bit of a rush today, everyone's doing more than they can, I'll let you know what's going on as soon as possible" the doctor explained, he then opened to door and saw Matt standing there. "What the hell?"

"Um, Taylor, um, u, hey u, how are you going brother?" Matt said nervously.

"You want to know how I'm going?" he yelled furiously, "there are sick people here and all you can think about is pretending to be me, your not even a doctor. You might look like me, but that doesn't mean you are me".

Beth stuck her head in the room to see what all the fuss was about, "Is there a problem doctor?" Then she realized where she'd met the doctor from, well one of them anyway, the one across the room was more familiar, he they looked almost identical, except this particular one had more of some kind of evilness in his face, she'd seen him hanging around the bar earlier that night with some kind of uneasiness about his presence there, like he was up to some kind of trouble.

"Um yes, I'm afraid your going to have to leave the room though".

"Ok" Beth agreed, in a very unsure way before walking back to where the others were sitting. Taylor closed the door and then picked up the phone.

"What are you doing now?" Matt asked.

"I'm calling the police".

"Wait no, please Taylor, just let me explain-".

"Save it Matt, I know what you've been up too in the last couple of years, your a wanted criminal".

"So your just going to turn me in?" Matt asked, ready to try and run for it.

"Yeah I am, and don't even think of running, I can call security and they'd lock the building before you got to the entrance".

Matt didn't say a word, he just swallowed hard in a guilty manner, he'd been caught before his plan had succeeded.

"Hello could I please be put through to the police" Taylor started when a computerized person answered the phone.

"So they've got him down at the hospital now?" Peter asked Tracey who had just got off the phone.

"Yeap, he was pretending to be his brother and was working on one of the patients down there, so well need to check on the patients he's touched or gone anywhere near" Tracey explained.

"Ok, you come with me then, Lara go get some back up, we need all the help we can get with this one, who knows what he's capable of".

"What?" Lara asked a little confused, she hadn't heard the start of the conversation.

"We need to go to the hospital and arrest someone" Peter told her.

"Ok then, I'll get the backup" she agreed.

"Oh and Lara" Peter stopped her.

"Yes?"

"Please don't chose any of the juniors, we can't take any risks with this guy. And hurry!".

"Ok".

In Jack's jail cell he lay in his bed alone, no one ever came in at this time of night. The bed was as hard as a stone and his pillow wasn't much better, he couldn't get the days events off his mind, when Martha had been her that afternoon he could of sworn that that question had ment she was still in love with him. The truth was, he still loved her too, but she was right, he was married to Serena now, and yes it was true, he loved her too. 'What am I supposed to do when I'm in love with two different girls?' he asked himself, 'and why did the two most beautiful girls in the world have to love me?'

"Mum, why are there police officers coming in here?" Maddie asked stairing at the numerous officers coming down the corridor.

"I don't know, maybe there's a suspect that's in hospital" Beth guessed.

"Well then why are they going in Serena's room?"

"There what?" she screamed looking up in a hurry from the magazine she was reading, just in time to see Peter drag out one of the identical guys that had been in there before.

"You've got the wrong one" the guy in hand cuffs (Taylor) yelled.

"Matt, don't try your luck" Matt (the real Matt) told him smartly, as soon as Peter looked away for a second Matt gave Taylor a evil smile, "don't try messing with me bro, cause if you do, I promise you that it will be the last thing you do" he whispered soft enough so that the only person that could hear was Matt.

"Telling us lies isn't going to get you anywhere Matt" Peter told him frustratedly, in the interview room after hearing his story again for the tenth time.

"I told you already, I don't know anything about Sean Loyd's illegal business because I'm not Matt Wilson, I'm his brother Taylor Wilson, Matt was pretending to be me, that's why I called you in the first place" Taylor defended himself from where he sat in the opposite side of the desk to Peter. "Your a cop, your supposed to be catching the criminals, not locking up innocent doctors".

"Yeah and if I bring your brother in here, who ever he is, Matt or Taylor, he'd probably going to give me the same garbage story" Peter yelled.

"Yeah and how do you know if I'm lying or not?"

Peter got up and walked to the door, "Tracey".

"Yeah?"

"Can you go down to the hospital and get the other one, we've got more work to do than we thought" he told her sticking his head out of the door.

"Yeah ok" she agreed leaving the office.

"So every thing's going to be ok now?" Beth asked the nurse who had calmed her down after the police dragged away the doctor.

"It should be, we're getting another doctor in to have a look at her soon".

"Ok thank you".

"That's ok, I'm just doing my job" the nurse told her as Tracey came up behind her.

"Excuse me" Tracey interrupted.

"Yes, is there a problem officer?" the nurse asked her.

"Yeah, um, I'm looking for Dr Wilson, he isn't in by any chance is he?"

"No sorry, he left not long after his brother got arrested, he just needed some space".

"Do you know where I can find him then? We need to bring him in for questioning about his brother".

"Well he should be at his apartment, come with me, I'll give you the address" the nurse told her putting her clip board down on the desk and walking to some filling cabinets.

"So where is he then?" Peter asked when Tracey came through the door without Matt.

"We have a problem" she started, "when I went to the hospital the nurse said he wasn't there and she gave me an address for his apartment, and when I went there nobody was home" she explained. "You don't think maybe he is Matt and he's done a runner do you?"

"I don't know, but there's only one way to find out" Peter told her.

"And what might that be?"

"DNA testing, they should have theirs on their medical histories, all we need to do is test the guy in the interview room who says he's Taylor to see if he's telling the truth".

"Ok, sounds easy enough" Tracey agreed.

Peter took in a deep breath, "it will only be easy if we really do have Matt, if we don't then it's going to be tough tracing him down, especially if he knows were on to him".

"But he doesn't know were on to him" Tracey pointed out.

"Then why did he do a runner?" Peter answered her.

"Ok, maybe your right, but how do we even know he's done a runner, the nurse told me that he left early cause he needed some space after watching his brother be dragged off to jail".

"Well if there's no sign of him by tomorrow then I want all surrounding stations notified of his disappearance, if he is Matt then who knows what he might do next".

"He can't be that dangerous can he?"

"Yes he can, he might of just been Sean's side kick, but by our records of him, Matt was the mastermind of all there crimes, Sean just took all the glory for it".

Lara suddenly felt a cold shiver down her spine when she hear all this from her desk next to where they were talking, she knew him from a long time ago, and she never thought he'd do something like this, she thought she could just play along and pretend that nothing was wrong, but she couldn't. A tear ran down her face and she tried to move towards the desk before anyone noticed.

"Lara what's wrong?" Peter asked seeing her crying.

"Nothing" she lied facing away from him, pretending to be looking for a file at her desk.

"Lara, I know you better than that, you don't start crying over nothing". Lara gave in and turned to face him, her face said it all, there were tears running down it like crazy. "Come into my office, we can't have you working in this state" he told her patting her on the shoulder and opening the door of his office to let her in.

"So have you found out what's wrong with her?" Tony asked getting up in a hurry when the doctor came back out of Serena's room.

"Yes, Mr Holden, she's in a comer. But we believe that there's something else wrong with her but we can't be sure until we've done some more tests" she explained.

"Can we see her?" Beth butted in.

"Yes but if see wakes up then let me know".

"Ok we will" Beth promised making her way into the room with Tony, Maddie and Lucas behind her.

"Dr Simpson" a nurse called out from down the hall.

"Yes?" she called back making her way down the hall and putting her clipboard down on the bench on her way.

"Were you the one who sent through the blood samples for Serena Holden?" the nurse asked.

"Yeap, have you got the results?"

"Yes, it's not good though".

"What do you mean?"

"I think you should take a look for yourself doctor" she said handing her the result sheet.

"You've got to be kidding me" she said in shock, "I expected something like low iron levels, not this".


	5. Crying confessions

_Thanks for the review Jack4Martha, it was nice to hear from you. _

_Chapter number 5. Crying confessions_

"So what's wrong Lara?" Peter asked comforting her. He sat down next to her on one of the chairs against the wall, this was probably pretty big, in the years he'd been here he had not even once seen Lara cry.

"It's about Matt and Taylor Wilson" she started stairing across the room, "Peter, their my older brothers".

Peter's jaw dropped and his eyes opened wider than they had he found out years and years ago that Eve Jacobson was still alive, "Your maiden name was Wilson?"

"Yeah, I never though Matt would do anything that he's done" she sobbed, not knowing what else to do Peter comforted her by putting his arm around her and letting her cry into his shoulder. "He was always a bit weird when we were growing up, he was the odd one out, but I never though he was that odd".

"Why didn't someone say something then? You were there when he was arrested, and you were in the station when he was questioned".

"If you remember correctly Peter, I was that volunteered to stay in the car and I wasn't in the interview room, Matt or Taylor, which ever one you arrested, he didn't see me".

"I don't know how you did it, I mean you kept your mouth shut and held your head high when you knew your brother was being arrested?"

"I though Matt was being arrested, You wouldn't understand unless you know how our family worked" She told him sitting back up straight, breaking away from Peter's arms.

"So do you think it's really Taylor in there?" he asked calmly.

"I don't know, I don't know" she repeated herself, she couldn't face him, and she wasn't about to ether.

"Do you want to see him" he asked her getting up and starting to pace, "I know I don't normally allow visitor in the interview room but-".

"No Peter I don't want to see him!" Lara snapped at him.

"Ok, ok, I'm just trying to help" he put his hands up in defense like she was pointing a gun at him.

"I know, I'm sorry" she apologized berrying her face in her hands.

"It's ok, you have every right to be upset" Peter told her sitting back down.

"I just don't know what to do Peter" she cried, berrying her head in his chest and Peter wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey how about we both knock off early and do something tonight to cheer you up".

"You sure?"

Yes, come on, it will do you some good".

"Ok".

"She looks so helpless" Maddie pointed out sadly as they all sat around Serena's bed in the hospital.

"Yeah, it's not like her at all" Lucas agreed.

"Hey come one we've got to think positive now, Serena's going to be fine, she's going to wake up and then she's going to come home with us. Then Mr Macklin's lawyers are going to find a way to bring Jack home and we'll all be together again, hey doesn't that sound good?" Tony told them trying to cheer everybody up.

"Yeah, your dad's right, everything is going to be fine" Beth insured them.

"Sorry to interrupt" Dr Simpson apologized coming in the door and closing it behind her.

"That's ok, your not interrupting much" Beth told her, "So do you have to do some more tests now?"

"Actually no I don't, I did a blood test earlier and I've found something" she started.

"This doesn't sound good" Maddie panicked.

Dr Simpson took in a deep breath, it was never easy telling a patients family of the conditions they were in, "no it's not good, I've found a disease in her system".

"What disease are we talking about then?" Tony asked.

"it's a form of cancer of the blood and bone marrow called Acute myelogenous Leukemia" she told them. No one in the room knew what to say, it was a big shock. "This explains why the machines are having to do her breathing for her".

"What do you mean?"

"Her condition means that there are a not enough red blood cells taking oxygen around her body, she was very lucky not to show any other symptoms".

"So is there anyway to fight it?" Lucas questioned.

"Yes, chemotherapy will be necessary for her".

"Chemotherapy? are there any risks?" Beth asked, tears were already forming in her eyes.

"Yes, the chemotherapy kills of blood cells and bone marrow cells to get rid of the infected ones, but the uninfected ones also get killed. She'll have to be kept away from any bacteria or form of illness, if she was even to get a cold or an infection without the necessary blood cells to fight it, it could kill her. She'll also be very fragile because of the lose of the platelet cells, so she will need very careful handling".

"So does that mean she'd be kept here?" Tony asked.

"Yes, any doctors or nurses that come near her would have to be free from illness and be wearing masks and gloves to avoid giving her anything so it's unlikely that she would catch anything" she told them, "I'll give you all some time to consider what to do, and I'll get the nurse to give you some information sheets about the disease so that your more aware of the condition. If you need anything else you know where to find me".

"Thanks" Beth answered trying not to break down.

_Please review, I'd really appreciate it if you did._


	6. Statistics, the horrible truth

_Chapter number 6. Statistics, the horrible truth_

"Hello, haven't seen you all at the one time for a while" Jack greeted Maddie, Lucas, Beth and Tony as they made there way into the room that Jack's cell took up half of the space of.

"Hey" they all replied putting on a smile and tying not to sound to upset.

"So what's the weather like outside? there hasn't been any sunlight come through here yet".

"Oh, it's pretty cloudy, not much of a day" Tony told him.

"Dad, I know that look, what's going on?" Jack asked, seeing right through his put on cheerfulness.

Tony sighed and looked back at Beth, Maddie and Lucas who had also just stopped putting on there little happy act, "mate, um, it's Serena" he started.

"What's happened?"

"Last night Beth found her lying unconscious in the middle of the surf club car park".

"Is she ok?" Jack asked sounding concerned.

"She's still in a comer. But they found something else out last night, she's got Leukemia".

Jack's mouth dropped, "She's what, but, she can't die".

"It doesn't mean she's going to die" Beth assured him.

"Yeah, but it still means she's got a fairly good chance of dieing" Jack told her.

"Look Jack I know your upset about this, we all are, but lets just think about what we can do to help rather than what could happen if we do nothing".

"Alright, so how serious is it?"

"It's a condition called Acute myelogenous Leukemia, but there suggesting that we look into chemotherapy".

"Ok" he said nervously.

"I brought the informations sheets along with me so you could have a look if you want to" he said handing him a few sheets of paper. Jack took them in his hand reading quickly through them until he came to the statistics part.

"Only 19.8 percent survive?" he asked shocked at what the papers said.

"Yeah, that's why we need to start her in therapy as soon a possible".

"Dad, what if she does die?" he asked, tears were coming to his eyes.

"Look she's going to be fine" Tony told him trying to sound positive.

"Dad you saw what the statistics said, only 19.8 percent of people who have had the disease have actually survived it".

"Jack just calm down for a minute"Beth started, "Serena has a better chance because she hadn't started to show very many of the symptoms yet, she was lucky that the doctor did a blood test and found it".

Jack couldn't say anymore, he wanted to believe that she was going to make it through, but his heart was telling him the opposite.

"Mum, she's dead!" Dylan screamed when they walked into Serena's hospital room.

"Shh sweety, she's not dead, she's just sleeping" Martha explained picking him up and letting him stand in the chair next to Serena's bed so he could see.

"If she'd not dead then why isn't she waking up mummy?"

"She just must be very tiered Dylan" she lied, he was to young and innocent know the truth.

Although Dylan believed his mother, he still felt sad like something was really wrong, he sighed and flopped himself down on the chair.

_Thanks for all the reviews guys, I love reading them._


	7. Waking up to reality

_Chapter number 7. Waking up to reality_

"Feeling any better today?" Peter asked Laura who had just walked in the door of the police station for her afternoon shift.

"Yeah, thanks for last night Pete, it was good to have someone to talk to about it".

"Your welcome, just looking out for a friend" Peter told her giving her a smile, "anyway see you later, I've got a meeting to go to".

"Ok, bye" she replied as he left through the door.

Serena woke up slowly, she could hear the steady beeping of the heart monitor that was next to her bed. Her vision began to kick in and the hospital room around her began to turn from a pitch black, lifeless, meaningless, picture to the sights of the doctor (Dr Simpson) and a nurse that were doing some testes on her. Then the doctor started talking to her as she continued to regain her consciousness. "Can you tell me where you are?"

"I'm in the hospital" she replied weakly as the doctor shined a light in her eyes.

"Very good, now can you tell me what you last remember?" Dr Simpson asked putting down the light and waiting for her answer.

"I was on the phone to Tony and a car came up behind me and hit me".

"Ok, well at least you don't have any brain damage".

"Ok, ok, thank you for letting us know" Tony said as he talked on the phone to the nurse from the hospital. "Ok, bye, we'll be down there as soon as possible" he told her hanging up and turning back round to everyone else in the room where they still were with Jack. "That was the hospital".

"Is she ok?" Jack jumped in before anyone else had the chance to say anything.

"She's just woken up, and it's safe to say that she doesn't have any brain damage" Tony announced.

"Well thats good to hear" Maddie said in relief.

"Yeah" Lucas agreed, "that means we can start the Chemotherapy sooner".

"Which means she's got a better chance of winning this battle" Beth added looking at Jack in reassurance.

"Ok well call as soon as you see her, and put her on the phone, I really want to talk to her" Jack told them.

"Ok we will mate" Tony replied, "we've got the prison's number don't we?" he asked turning to Beth.

"Yes, and if we don't Serena knows it off by heart so we won't have any problems" she answered. "Well we better get going then".

"Yeap, see you all later" Jack said.

Back at the hospital Serena was still lying in her bed when Dr Simpson came back in. "So will I be able to go back home soon?" she asked.

"Um, no, Serena while you were still unconscious we did some blood tests and we've found a form of cancer in your system".

"What?"

"Acute myelogenous Leukemia".

"No, please no" she begged.

"I'm sorry, all can promise is that were going to do the best we can to cure you. I'll give you the same sheets I gave your family so you know what your dealing with".

"No, I don't need the sheets I already know about it, my father was a cancer specialist" she told her, "I just can't believe this is happening. I mean, Acute myelogenous Leukemia, that's too rate for my age, I'm not over sixty five, and I'm not under fifteen, I'm out in the middle where I've got less chance to survive" she cried. "And I haven't found any symptoms, I'm not bruising easily I haven't been sort of air-".

"Actually you have been sort of air while you've been in here. Look do you need anything?"

"No thank you, I just want to be alone" Serena replied softly.

_Please review, the review button is just underneath this line, it won't take long and it would be really appreciated if you took a minute to give your opinion._


	8. Big brother is watching

_Chapter number 8. Big brother is watching_

"Hey" Martha sighed as she entered the room where Jack was being held.

"Hey" he replied back. "I guess you've already heard about Serena?"

"Yeah, I've been in to see her too, she looked so helpless".

"Was that before or after she woke up?"

"She woke up?" Martha exclaimed.

"Yes about an hour ago Dad, Beth, Maddie and Luc were all here and they gave dad a call to say she had woken up".

"Well that's good then" she sighed in relief.

"Yeah, but it's not even half the battle yet" Jack said softly looking down at his hands.

"Hey, come on don't think like that, were all going to help her make it our of that hospital alive" Martha comforted him, placing her hand through the bars and on top of Jack's hands.

He looked up at her and smiled weakly in appreciation of her kind gesture, "thanks".

At the hospital Beth, Tony, Maddie and Lucas were rushing down the hall to Serena's room to see if she was ok. "Um are you guys here to see Serena?" one of the near by nurses asked.

"Yeah, can we go in?" Beth asked.

"Yes but one at a time, she's still in a lot of shock after finding out about the Leukemia" the nurse told them before moving on to some patients in the hall waiting to be taken into a room.

"I'll go" Beth offered.

"Ok, send our love then" Tony told her.

"I will" she agreed before disappearing through the door.

"Hey" Serena said, weakly giving her a forced smile. She'd been crying, her eyes were red and a scarred look returned to her face, "what am I going to do?" she burst into tears again.

"Aww love it's going to be ok" she comforted her sitting next to her on the bed and giving her a gentle hug trying not to bump her in any way in case the disease had gotten worse.

"Hello anyone here?" Matt's voice called out as he entered an old abandoned house in the middle of the bush. The room was dark and haunting, evil lurking round the corner.

"Yes, Matt I'm here" a voice answered from down the hall.

"So I slipped that stuff into Serena Holden's drink and-" Matt started walking down the hall and into a room that had a lamp on in the corner.

"You gave her the wrong stuff" the voice interrupted.

"What do you mean, you said you left it on the bench next to the-" Matt paused, "oh no, please don't tell me I took the pain killers instead".

"I'd be lying if I told you that".

"Damn!" Matt yelled grabbing a vase that was in a table next to him and trowing it across the room with force, smashing it into the lamp that had been the only light source in the whole house.

"Matt, just calm down".

"Don't you tell me to calm down, I wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you".

"If it wasn't for me? Matt, if i remember correctly this was your idea, not mine" the voice told him, turning on the light switch in the room so that the whole room was visible, and the person Matt was talking to became visible, it was a female in her early thirties dressed in a black tank top and denim jeans, her hair was long, dark brown and wavy tied back loosely at the back of her head.

"Look, lets just think what to do next ok Jemma?"

"Ok, but if you blame me for any mess ups again, the cops are going to know about everything your up to, do you hear me?"

"I hear you, but don't you dare even think of going anywhere near the cops, or I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life, and that's a promise" he threatened giving her a death stare before walking down the other end of the house.

"Jack told us to get you to call him, he's really worried about you" Beth told her going through her bag to find her phone after she had settled down.

"Ok".

"Here you go" she said handing her mobile to Serena, "do you want to be left alone?"

"Yes please".

"Ok, let me know when your finished" Beth told her getting up and leaving the room.

"Hello" Jack's voice sounded through the phone, giving Serena some peace of mind after five minutes of waiting for the guard to put her through to him.

"Jack" she exclaimed.

"Serena are you ok?"

"Depends what you mean by that, I'm conscious so I guess that's a good thing".

"I heard about the Leukemia" Jack started after a moment of silence.

"Jack what am I going to do?" Serena burst into tears again.

"Shh, shh, please don't cry honey" Jack tried to settle her, "were going to do everything we can".

"But what if I never see you again, I love you".

"I love you too, and your definitely going to see me again" he told her, hoping his words were true.

"Where have you been?" Jemma asked Matt from where she stood in the kitchen as he came through the door of their old abandoned house in the middle of the bush the next morning.

"I managed to sneak into the police station while one one or two people were around and you'd never guess who I saw working there" he told her.

"Who?"

"My little sister Lara".

"Yeah so?"

"She's working on the case to get me tracked down. It doesn't surprise me ether, her and Taylor always used to gang up on me when we were kids".

"So she's trying to get you locked up?"

"Yeap".

"But she's your sister, why would she do that?"

"Because she would, you wouldn't know unless you knew how our family worked" he told her taking the cup of coffee Jemma handed to him.

"Well every family is weird in it's own little way".

"Yeap, and mine more than others".

"So what are we going to do about the cops, I mean we can't attack anyone while their trying to hunt you down like a hawk.

"Well, we'll just have to be very sneaky about how we do things, there not after you so that still gives us some options.

"I guess so".

"mean while I've got to come up with a way to get rid of my annoying little sister, she's got to go first, I want her dead".

"Matt she's your sister, you can't just do that" Jemma exclaimed.

"Why not, she doesn't care about me, so why should I care about her? I'm going to watch her, and then when she least expects it..." Matt started with his plan rubbing his hands together with an evil look on his face, "well lets just say she would have enough time to know what happened" he finished letting out an evil laugh.

"Oh there you are Peter" Lara said as Peter came through the door of the station, "a package came in for you not long ago. It's on your desk.

"Ok thanks" he replied rushing into his office, picking up the yellow envelope in the middle of his desk; it was the results from the DNA test he'd done on who he had thought was Matt Wilson. He opened it slowly and pulled out the sheet of paper inside, and the truth was revealed, they were holding Taylor.

_Please review._


	9. Tearful reflecting

_Chapter number 9. Tearful reflecting._

"Everything was so perfect" Serena whispered stairing aimlessly across the room at the blank wall that was across from her bed in the hospital, bedside her sat Beth who had come back in after leaving her to talk to Jack. "The first time I met him I always knew there was something special about him... we were both on holidays in the gold coast... both trying to escape life" she sighed "then one day we just literally ran into each other on the beach" she continued slowly, "he had this warm half smile that just took away the pain I'd run away from and made me feel happy, and even though he'd just fallen into a fence from bumping into me, he was still a gentle men and made sure I was ok... One thing led to another and we were having dinner together, the candles were all lit... the moon was shinning across the water of the beach and there was nothing else but... us".

"Serena, please don't start talking like this" Beth begged, she couldn't stand the way she sounded like she was giving up hope, giving up on her future, and reflecting back on old times like there was nothing left for her.

"Talking like what?" she asked looking at Beth.

"Like everything you two had is gone, it's not gone, things are going to get better".

Serena then began looking motionlessly at the blank wall, "that's what everyone keeps saying".

"And their all right Serena, your a though girl, your not going to let this beat you" Beth tried to encouraged her.

"If only it was that easy to fight" she sighed sadly, "if only" she repeated herself, looking down at her hands as she started to cry once again for the millionth time that day.

"Oh, come on sweet, it's going to be ok" Beth told her rubbing her back, "it's going to be ok" she whispered.

--------------------

"Lara?" Tracey called out from her office door in the station.

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute please?"

"Ok, I'm coming" she called back closing a file she was working on on her desk. "What's going on?" she asked when she saw the look on Tracey's face.

"Some thing's come through on the security camera's" Tracey started.

"And..."

"Matt was sneaking around the station last night, he knows were on to him" she explained.

"Great just what we need" Lara commented sarcastically. "So do we know where he is now?"

Tracey shock her head, "sorry we've found nothing. Lara are you sure you don't have any idea where he might be hiding, I mean after all he is your brother".

"No" she replied shaking her head, "I hardly knew him, he was always very withdrawn, he was the odd one out in my family".

"Look, I'm sorry about all this, I know it must be hard for you" Tracey said sympathetically.

"It's ok" she answered, "If anyone should be sorry it's me, after everything he ever did I never thought he'd do something like getting involved with Sean Loyd".

"Like you said, you hardly knew him, it's not your fault".

--------------------

"So how are you holding up?" Martha asked Jack sitting down on the same chair she did every visit.

"I've been better" Jack told her, trying to smile.

There was a pause for a moment, "Dylan was asking to come and see you this morning" Martha told him uneasily.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he was kicking and screaming saying he wanted daddy" she explained, "Jack are you sure were doing the right thing?"

Jack just nodded, "you know what will happen if he keeps coming here Martha, as he gets older he'll see more than just me, he'll see the fact that this place is a jail full of crims".

"Yeah I know" she sighed putting her elbow on her knee and resting her chin in the palm of her hand, "It's just... his three, how am I supposed to tell him that he can't see you anymore".

"Look Martha, I really don't know, but your going to have an even harder time telling him that his father's a criminal when he's old enough to read the sign as he comes in".

"Your not a criminal Jack, you were protecting Dylan, Serena and me".

"The law doesn't see it that way, and by the time Dylan's old enough to know what jail is he's not going to see it any different ether".

"Jack he's your son, by the time he's old enough to know what murder is he'll know your a good person, not a criminal".

"My record says it all Martha".

"True... but can't we just do this slower, I mean, he used to come in here once every few days, now he can't come at all".

"I guess so, look this isn't any easier for me, I love Dylan and I want to be a part of his life, but I also want what's best for him, sooner or later he's going to go to school and there's going to be a lot of people asking him who his dad is, do you really want him to have to tell them that his dad's in jail?"

"No, I'm just saying..."

"Yeah I know he's only three. I guess we could do things slower" Jack compromised. "I miss the little guy already" he added.

"And he really misses you too, how about I bring him in next week?"

"Sounds good, then I guess we slow things down from there?"

"Yeah" she nodded confidently. They both gave each other a warm comforting smile, and they both locked eyes, nether of them could deny it for a second, the connection was still there, not that ether of them were going to say it out loud.

--------------------

The sun began to go down and one very distressed Jemma sat at the round wooden table next to the kitchen in the deserted house she was staying in with Matt, in her hand was a photo of her and Matt,it had been taken seven years ago on there wedding day. That was the day when they were both happy together, it had been a time where she had thought Matt was the most amazing guy in the whole entire world, he'd made her happy, he'd made her laugh, he'd made her feel things she'd never felt for anyone else, but all she could say was that he'd been a good lier, actually he hadn't just been a good lier, he'd been an excellent lier. "What happened to you Matt?" she whispered, "You were never like this... not till you met Sean".

_Please review, it would be very much appreciated._


	10. Separation blues

_Chapter number 10. Separation blues_

"Jemma" Matt called out placing a plastic bag with something in it on the round wooden table next to the kitchen as he came inside the house. There was no answer so he called out again louder, "Jemma", but still he heard no answer from her, he began to look around the corner and down the hall way, the place was way to quiet for his liking, something just wasn't right. He opened the bedroom door, the room looked a little different than it had this morning, it seamed emptier and more lonelier, something was missing, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.

Still wondering what was going on Matt made his way back out to the kitchen to get a glass of water, but on his way a note on the bench caught his eye, it was Jemma's hand writing.

_Dear Matt,_

_I've been trying to come to terms with the way things are, and no matter how hard I try I can't. I know I've said it before in the last few months, but I'll say it again, the Matt I've seen every day in the last few years isn't the Matt I fell in love with when I first met you._

_Although it's hard for me to do, I have no choice but to leave, I've taken anything that belongs to me already so I won't be coming back until I'm ready to face things, whether it's to come back to this marriage or to get a divorce. While I'm gone you should probably thing about what the point of this marriage was, because, lets be honest, at the moment it's all a one way street, I've tried to work around things but nothing I try has worked._

_If your panicking thinking I'm going to go to the police like I threatened to the other day, you can calm down, I'm not going to tell anyone, I just don't want anything to do with any of this, not even to turn you in. Even though I don't think what your doing is right, I still just want to wish you luck with it all, if it's important enough to risk our marriage for it, then it must be very important to you, and I know how much this marriage ment to you, you made it very clear on our wedding day._

_Goodbye, I love you, _

_Jemma xxx_

Matt staired at the letter, reading it over and over again, he should of seen this coming, now that he thought about it he was surprised it had taken this long to happen. He finally put the letter back in it's place on the bench slowly, he then spotted a picture further along that was taken on their wedding day, on top of it was Jemma's wedding ring sitting right in the center, he picked up the ring in one hand and the photo in the other studying it closely, looking at the smiles on their faces, they used to be so happy. "I love you too Jemma" he whispered sadly beginning to cry, "I love you too".

About half an hour's drive away in a blue car Jemma was driving along a old dirt road slowly, like Matt she was crying, this was one of the hardest things she'd had to do in a long time, her tears ran down her face thickly, almost blurring the sight of the road ahead of her.

"Hello" Rose greeted Martha cheerfully as she came through the door with Boyd close behind her

"Well someone's had a lot of coffee" Martha laughed looking up from where she was sitting on the floor playing with Dylan.

"No actually the doctor told me I wasn't aloud any of that stuff, he said it had too much caffeine in it or something like that" Rose told her.

"Hu?" Martha asked looking confused, but then that look turned into worry, "please don't tell me you've got a deadly disease too".

"No, she's going to be fine" Boyd laughed.

"I'm just pregnant" Rose added.

"Oh my goodness, that's great news Rose" Martha exclaimed getting up off the floor and giving her a hug, "congratulations, to both of you".

"Thanks" Boyd answered her as she gave him a hug too.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Lucas asked Maddie who was sitting in the dinner looking very lost.

"How do you think I'm feeling?" she replied blankly.

"I don't know, you've hardly said more than a few words all day".

"I was down at the hospital earlier" Maddie explained, "there starting Serena's chemotherapy today".

"And that's supposed to be a good thing Maddie, the sooner she starts the sooner she's going to get better" he reassured her.

"Yeah that's if she gets better".

"Maddie" Lucas sighed putting his arm around her shoulder, "your starting to sound like Jack was the other day, it's not going to help anyone".

"I know I'm sorry, I'm just worried".

"We all are".

"So that's the last check up we have to do before sending you in" Dr Simpson told Serena as she put the thermometer back in the draw. "We'll send you down for your chemo in about five minutes, ok?"

"Ok" Serena answered nervously.

"I've just got to check on another patient so I'll be back to get you soon" The doctor explained, writing something down on her clip board before leaving the room.

"You wouldn't of wanted me to do this would you?" Matt said still stairing aimlessly at the photo that had been on the kitchen bench, "you wouldn't of wanted me to kill anyone just for revenge" she continued sobbing, "I can't keep doing this, it's not who I'm supposed to be, I didn't even notice how out of control I was until you left me".

_Please review, I'm not continuing until I get at least 2 people wanting me to._


	11. 2013

_Chapter number 11. 2013_

A year had passed in Summer bay and it was now the year 2013. Serena's Chemo had gone very well and Dr Simpson was very happy with her progress. Matt hadn't been seen or heard from since his appearance on the security cameras in the police station, he'd gone and done another runner after Jemma left him to make a fresh start. Dylan had turned four only a few weeks ago, and no longer visited his dad in jail, but Martha made sure that Jack received letters from her about Dylan, along with photo's of him. Rose had given birth to a baby girl called Isabel; Izzy for short, and she was now three and a half months old. Maddie and Lucas had gotten engaged six months ago and were planning their wedding for later that year.

-----

"Dr Simpson will be in here to see you shortly" the nurse told her writing something on her clip board before clipping it back to the end of the bed, "so take it easy ok".

"Ok, thanks" Serena smiled nervously.

-----

At the police station in Yabbie Creek the officers were all being run off their feet, and in the corner of the room full of mayhem, one Peter Baker sat at his desk, puzzled by a document that sat in front of him.

"Usually work gets done a little quicker if you're not in your own little world Peter" Lara commented looking over his shoulder at what was on his desk.

"Huh?" Peter asked sleepily looking up at her.

"Look you need some sleep, go home, your shifts nearly over anyway".

"I can't I've still got work to do" he told her focusing back on the document that was now sitting in his hands.

"And I can finish it, your no good to anyone here if your half asleep".

"Alright" he gave in getting up, "but if I'm needed-"

"I know I'll call" Lara reassured him.

"Ok, thanks".

"That's ok" she told him, sitting down at Peter's desk, "now go get some rest" she retold him, almost pushing him to leave.

"Alright already, see you later".

-----

Along the path at the edge of the beach Martha, Dylan, Rose, Boyd and little Izzy in her pram were strolling along.

"How cute were Maddie and Lucas last night, they couldn't keep smiling at each other" Rose smiled.

"Yeah, it's great news that their getting married" Boyd commented.

"It was about time it happened to, every one was literally dropping hints" Martha added.

Rose giggled, "especially Colleen".

Martha started laughing at this too, "yeah, she likes to think that she had a way of controlling some things".

"Mummy, can I go swim?" Dylan asked.

"Yes, but wait for me though, I don't want you going down there by yourself" she told him, "you guys going to come down too?" Martha asked Rose and Boyd.

"Nah, it'll be a bit hard to get the pram down there" Rose answered.

"We'll sit down and watch, Izzy was going to need a feed soon anyway" Boyd added.

"Come on Mum" Dylan called out from about ten meter's ahead of them.

"Alright I'm coming" Martha answered, running to keep up with him. She looked back for a minute at Rose and Boyd sitting down with Izzy, the way Boyd cared for Izzy was the way she wished Jack could care for Dylan, a fathers love was something he needed.

"Mum why are you always so slow" Dylan complained running back to his mum, interrupting her thoughts.

"Sorry sweety, I'm coming" Martha told him picking him up in her arms, trying to sound as cheerful as possible, covering up her misery.

-----

"Hey Serena, how are you feeling today?" Dr Simpson asked cheerfully as she came in the room.

"Quite good actually".

"Well that's fantastic, I've got some good news for you" Dr Simpson started.

"Really?" Serena asked nervously, she felt a lot better than she had since before she was diagnosed with Leukemia a year ago, but she still didn't know if it was really gone this time.

"There's no sign of any infected cells, so your in the all clear for now".

"For now?"

"There are chances that it may come back, you'll need to come in once every couple of months for a check up to make sure it hasn't redeveloped, we can't officially say you're free from the disease unless it's been clear of your system for five years".

"Ok, thank you so much, can I go home then?"

"We'll need to keep you in for observations for as long as we think is necessary, but if everything goes smoothly then you can definitely go home soon".

"Thank you so much Dr Simpson, if it wasn't for you then I might not be here today" Serena told her.

"Your more than welcome Serena, I'm just glad I could help, anyway I've got some more patients to visit so I'll see you later".

"Ok bye" she answered as Dr Simpson left the room.

After the door was closed Serena's smile grew bigger, "I'm going home!" she said excitedly to herself, "I'm not going to die".

_Author note: thanks for the review guys, I'm glad some of you are taking the time to review. I'm going to do the same from now on, 2 reviews before I update again._


	12. Burdening lies

_Thanks for the reviews guys, sorry I've been a bit slow in updating, our Internet has been stuffing up lately, and it's been really hard to get this chapter up. Thanks for your honesty Cara, I agree with you, this story is beginning to drag, I'm trying to move things along faster, but it's a bit difficult at the moment cause there's a few things I have to make happen before some major things become clear, but I'm doing my best to make it all fall into place._

_Anyway I'll stop my blabbering, here's the next chapter, hope you like it even though it's short._

_Chapter number 12. burdening lies_

Lara staired at the file that sat on Peter's desk, the same puzzled look that had been on Peter's face earlier was now plastered all over her's, none of what was on the document made sense, feeling frustrated she put the file aside and got up to get a cup of coffee to clear her head.

"Oh my gosh, so your really better this time?" Martha squealed with excitement after Serena told her the good news.

"Yeap" Serena smiled.

"That's fantastic news. As soon as you walk out the door of this hospital, we're going to have the biggest party ever for you. Well when your up to it anyway".

"Sounds great, you know me, I love a good party" Serena beamed, "I just can't wait to get out of here, I've been here so long I actually don't mind the food here".

"Ok now that is seriously weird, especially for someone who used to think hospital food was worse than dieing" Martha chuckled.

Serena laughed, "yeah, a lot of things have changed".

"Well hopefully not to much, otherwise I'm going to have to force the old Serena back" she added with a smile. "Anyway I have to go, I promised mum I'd be home for dinner".

"Ok, I'll see you later then".

"Yeap, and I'll bring Dylan along next time, he's been itching to come and see you" Martha told her grabbing her hand bag off the floor next to her chair.

"Well I can't wait to see him ether" she smiled.

"Ok now you make sure you get some sleep, bye".

"Ok, bye" Serena answered as Martha closed the door, the room was silent now, and the steady ticking of the clock could be hear almost echoing through the room and Serena's head till it drove her crazy.

As she continued to stair at the white rimmed circular clock on the wall it felt like ever second was a minute and every minute was an hour, the hands moved slower than she'd ever seen them move, and the ticking slowly made her feel tired until it sent her peacefully to sleep, but her dream wasn't quite as peaceful, it was more of a flash back of her life more than a dream.

DREAM

The ticking slow steady ticking of the clock continued to sound in her head, before her was a replay, except in this replay she could see herself like she wasn't there, like she was watching a movie. She could see herself walking slowly out of a tent, and as she came outside her eyes widened and then her imaginary self that was watching looked around to see what she was looking at, two bodies lying on the ground one was her boyfriend at the time, and the other was a stranger, they were drenched in their own blood, a knife lay carelessly on the ground. She reached for her phone and called triple zero.

The next few things in her dream were fairly quick, and the ticking of the clock seemed to be getting quicker gradually over time, and the sound became slightly more high pitched. A flash of hand cuffs around her own wrists and the sound of her boyfriend telling a police officer that she had tried to kill him could be heard and then she could see herself sitting in at the front of a court room full of people. The judges voice could be heard, "I find this woman guilty of murder". As the judge spoke the ticking began to get so fast that it seemed like something was going to explode, the judges hammer banged three times and on the third bang everything, including the ticking stopped.

END OF DREAM

Serena woke up in a frightful panic sitting up straight in one motion, she was breathing quickly like she'd been short of air and she began to shiver with fear, tears rolling down her cheeks. "It's never going to stop haunting me is it" she whispered to herself, "I can't escape", the lie was a burden on her.

_Please review, I'll do my best to get an update up after I've got 2 reviews._


	13. Old ideas, old friends

_Ok my Internet's fixed again, this chapter's a bit longer than usual cos I've had more time to write it, hope you all like it._

_Chapter number 13. Old idea's, old friends_

"I don't know what to do" Serena spoke softly looking down at her hands that were neatly placed on her lap. The hospital room around her was fairly empty, except for Martha who was sitting in the chair next to her bed, "it was all so real, like part of my life was being replayed in front of me, everything was just like it was back then... the murder... the court case... my boyfriend lying to the police. I know Jack has a right to know, but, how am I supposed to tell him that I haven't always been completely honest with him" she continued looking up at Martha.

"Well if it's haunting you this much then you have to tell him" Martha persisted.

"I don't know if I can do that... he'll hate me" she spoke with a chill in her voice.

"Don't be silly Serena, if I can't hate your for it when at the time I found out I already hated you then why would he hate you for it?"

"I guess, but that was different, we were both in a life and death situation, tied up in a cave and being threatened by Sean and his stupid clone".

"So, think about it Serena, the fact that I excepted you for it was that at the time I could relate to you, right now he's behind bars, the exact place you got sent when that idiotic boyfriend of yours that supposedly loved you got you done for attempted Murder, right now he can related to you. And how could he hate you?" Martha encouraged her, before going on to say the words that seemed hardest to get out of her mouth, almost like she had to force her tongue to move and her mouth to open to get them out, "he loves you" the words sent a chill down her spine, almost shocking her that she'd brought herself to say them, and her mind tried to forget them, block them in the darkness, and berry them like the dead, but they stayed in her mind, like a bad dream, a night mare, 'he loves her' she said again, and again, and again, over and over in her head, like every thing else was beginning to block out and her heart sank inside her, part of her always knew this, but she'd never brought herself to put it in those words, 'he loves her'.

"Martha are you ok?" Serena's voice echoed through her head, and she looked around to realize that she'd froze, stairing at the wall with her hands clutched on to the edge of the arm rests on the chair.

"Yeah, I'm, um, I'm just a little tired" Martha stumbled.

Serena chuckled slightly, "yeah, sorry, I know I'm boring to listen to. I'm surprised you haven't fallen asleep yet".

Martha let out a quick breath that almost sounded like a laugh, and she gave an uneasy smile, "No your not boring, I was up late last night" she told her as the door opened and Dr Simpson came in".

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything" Dr Simpson said, "but I've got some good news for you". Both Martha and Serena were suddenly paying a lot more attention when she mentioned good news. "Your going home Serena" Dr Simpson told her.

"Really?" Serena asked excitedly.

"Yeap, I'm just going to get the deregestration papers and then you can go home".

"Thank you".

"Your welcome Serena" Dr Simpson said before leaving to go and fetch the deregestration papers for her.

"Oh my gosh, your coming home" Martha squealed.

"I know, I can't wait to get in my own bed, and go and see Jack again".

"Do you miss him?" Martha asked, smiling at the fact that she'd seen more of him than Serena had.

"Are you kidding, what kind of a question is that, I'm missing him like crazy".

"Well he's missing you too" Martha managed to get out.

Serena just smiled at that, stairing back down at her hands once again, and came to a sudden realization. "I'm going to have to tell him now, aren't I?"

Martha nodded, "He has a right to know, and like I said before, nows the best time" she explained, trying to sound supporting, the last few minutes had made her feel rather uncomfortable around Serena, it was her fault though, she'd been the one to mention that Jack loved Serena, it had hit her hard when the words had come out of her mouth. She loved Jack, just like Serena did, which was to problem, Serena loved him! Some one who was too nice to truly hate, even all the things she'd tried to make her out to be in the first place, she was too nice, even if she had her man, well technically he wasn't her man, he was Serena's, but as much as she tried to let go of what her and Jack had once shared, the longer she lived with out him, the harder it was. He was in her head, in her mind, in her heart, and he wasn't about to go away, her heart wouldn't let go.

Little did she know, Serena wasn't the only one Jack loved, what seemed like a life time away from summer bay in an old jail cell sat a very lost Jack, it was cold and the stone walls if the building only made things all the worse, the sun was only just shining through the metal grates in the walls, it's rays mostly blocked from the grey clouds that filled the sky. Jack held a box in his hands, his dad and Luc had given it to him a while ago, it was full of photo's and other things to try and make him feel closer to home, he'd gone through most of it now, as he made his way to the bottom of it he'd noticed that the photo's were getting older and older, putting down the one of him playing footy on the beach with Lucas, he put his hand back in the box and pulled out another one, he brought it into the light so it was visible and studied it closely, it was from about seven years ago, of him and Martha, they both looked so happy, so young, with not a care in the world except each other. "I love you Martha" he whispered, but things were more complicated now, much more complicated.

-------

"Welcome home sweetheart" Beth greeted Serena running to give her a hug as she walked up the drive way after getting out of Martha's car.

"Hey".

"Come on lets get you inside, Tony's cooking your favorite tonight".

"I am?" Tony asked as he caught up with them after hearing a car drive in.

"Yeah, remember" Beth hinted as she stepped behind Serena to get her bag for her, giving Tony a death stair, her eyes making it clear to him that he was now in a life or death situation.

"Oh yeah of course" Tony replied, scratching his head. "Your welcome to stay too Martha".

"Um, u, no thanks" Martha answered, trying to think of an excuse, "Dylan's still at home and I promised Rose that I'd look after Izzy for her tonight" she explained.

"Well why don't you bring them here then?" Serena asked, obviously wanting Martha to stay.

"Nah, that's probably not such a good idea, Izzy's got a few teeth coming through, she's in no mood for going anywhere".

"Oh well maybe some other time then".

"Yeah, anyway I better get going, I'll see you later" Martha told them opening the car door and getting in the car.

"Yeah, see you later" Serena called back.

-------

"Lara" Peter called out to Lara who was down the hall way of the police station.

"Yeah" she called back, making her way towards him.

"What happened to that file that I was looking at on my desk the other day?"

"Um, I put it aside on your desk. That's the last I saw of it" she explained. "Look I'm sure it will turn up".

"Well I hope it does cause I think I've figured it out" Peter told her opening another filling cabinet to look for the missing file.

"Really, what do you think it is then?"

"Well considering the document wasn't on record, I think some one's put it here, like some kind of mind game".

"You think some one planted it here to mess with your head?" Lara sounded unconvinced, "Peter, it was in a file, it wasn't some letter that came in the mail".

"Which is exactly why we need to at least take a proper look at the thing, if it didn't come in the mail and is mixed in with our reports, then how exactly did it get here? There's something more to this Lara, I can just tell".

-------

Martha sat in a both at the dinner when all of a sudden a familiar voice called out to her from the door "Martha?"

Martha looked up to see none other than an old friend, "Tash!" she squealed getting up and giving her a hug, "oh my gosh what are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, last time I saw you was before you took off, we all thought we were never going to see you again".

"Well you were all wrong then".

"So what did you get up too while you were gone then?" Tash asked.

"It's a long story".

"Well looks like we'll need coffee then".

"Ok, sound good".

-------

"Good morning, nice to see some familiar faces around here for a change" Jack greeted Serena as she came and sat down on the chair in front of the bars of his cell.

"Good to see you too babe" Serena answered leaning forward to give him a kiss. Inside she was frightened, he had to know, he needed to know.

"So how does it feel to be out of hospital, you sounded pretty down last time I talked to you on the phone" Jack asked trying to make conversation.

"Well I'm getting used to things again, I never thought home cooked food would taste so good".

Jack laughed, "yeah I know what you mean, the food in here is dreadful too". Serena just smiled weakly, she couldn't help noticing how happy he seemed, she could see him laugh, she could see him smile, and what haunted her most was that angry look on his face that she pictured in her mind of him after he knew that she'd once been in a place just like this too, and she'd never told him. Jack continued to talk, and Serena just sat and listened, throwing in a smile or two to make it look like everything was fine, but he didn't buy it.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, "you've hardly said a word since just after you got here, have I done something?".

"No, you've been great".

"Then what is it?"

"Jack there's something I need to tell you", she paused for a moment, "something you don't know about me" she started looking down at her hands, she'd planned to tell him about her past one day, but after the last few days events she'd come to realize that time was something she didn't have much of.

Seeing the look on Jack's face, he expected the worst, "Am I going to like it?"

She sighed, "probably not" there was no turning back now, he had to know.

-------

"wait so your saying after everything you went through, this chick just waltzes in and stole Jack from you?" Tash exclaimed, with her jaw dropped, over the last hour she'd learned about everything Martha had to go through since she ran away, living on the streets, the slavery, being sold, watching Jack run away from her, the whole thing with Sean, finding out who she was switched with, Dylan coming into the picture, finding out that Dylan was Jack's, Jack being married to someone else, Jack going to jail and now she was reeling.

"Well technically she didn't steal him" she sighed, "I stuffed things up and he moved on, quite simple really" Martha explained stairing down at her coffee that had already gone cold.

"So, she stole your man, your man! And now your telling me it's the only thing you can hold against her because she's too damn nice?"

"Yeap, you'd have to meet her to know what I'm talking about".

"Look Martha whether she's nice or not, that doesn't mean you have to like her, I don't like her already just hearing about her" Tash told her.

"Tash, she's really nice, maybe you should just meet her first before you judge her, and anyway I'd rather try and get along with Dylan's step mum".

"Well, if you play your cards right then you wouldn't need to see her as Dylan's step mum".

"Tash" Martha grizzled.

"Look at thing from the way I see it for a minute, please. From where I'm sitting you'd like nothing more than to be Mrs Holden and the only thing standing in your way is that blond bimbo, who might I add, Jack would not really love in his right mind".

"Yeah... but-"

"No buts Martha, it's really simple, all you have to do is convince him that your the woman for him".

"Look Tash-" Martha got cut off again.

"No Martha, I don't care how nice she might be, and you shouldn't ether, she's standing directly between you and Mr right, all we have to do is get her out of the way long enough for him to open his eyes" Tash told her, rambling on like a kid in a lolly shop, "anyway how about I go get you a coffee that's not cold" she said getting up before Martha could even raise a finger and taking her coffee to the counter.

"Tash, you don't see-" Martha started, but Tash couldn't hear her, Martha sighed, "you don't see how complicated that could be to get her out of the way" she said to herself, Tash was determined, and ready to do some Serena bashing, and all Martha could do was try and get a word in to try and stop it, not that she was listening.

_I'll continue on after I've got 2 reviews, I'd really like to hear what you think, even if you don't like it._


	14. Giving into fate

_Chapter number 14. Giving into fate_

"Why didn't you just tell me in the first place?" Jack asked after hearing what Serena had been through years before. His face had little expression, he was shocked, not giving away whether he was angry or just needed time to let it sink in.

"I was scared Jack, I didn't want to lose you".

"You wouldn't of lost me if you'd explained it wasn't your fault. None of it was your fault it's not like you asked to have your boyfriend accuse you of killing someone he killed" Jack told her, he looked cross now, wishing that he'd been told. "Did anyone else know?"

Serena began to feel scared now, a moment ago she'd thought he'd come around but now it seemed like he was slowly getting very angry, not cause she'd been sitting were he was once upon a time, but because she'd kept it from him. "Sean knew, I don't know how though, but that's why he was threatening me, cause he had something he was more than happy to tell the world if I didn't do what he said" she explained, trying to hold herself together.

"Wasn't Martha there too in that cave?"

Serena just nodded, "she knows too, she's the one who convinced me too tell you".

Jack didn't say anything, he felt betrayed. On their wedding day she'd sworn in her vows that nothing about her would be kept from him and that her life would never be a secret to him, and there she was standing in front of him telling there him that there was in fact secrets he hadn't known.

"Jack please say something" she pleaded with him.

"You want to know what I think?"

"Yeah of course I do".

"To be honest I haven't got a clue, I just need to be alone".

"Ok" she said nervously, "I'll come see you later then?"

"I'll call you went it's all sunk in" he told her blankly.

Serena got up from the chair and picked up her handbag, getting ready to leave like he'd asked, "I love you".

Jack just smiled weakly and nodded as Serena turned around to leave.

-------

"So I'll catch you later ok" Tash told Martha as they both walked out of the dinner.

"Yeap, and tell Rob I said hi" Martha said cheerfully back to her.

"I will, we'll all have to catch ups some time, see you".

"Yeah, bye" Martha called out before heading down the path to the beach to take a walk, she felt quite happy today, she'd thought a lot about her scare yesterday, she'd calmed herself down about it too when she came to the realization that Mr right was still waiting out there for her, it was like a teenage crush with Jack, right now she could say that no one but him was the right guy, and that she'd love him forever, but fate would figure it's self out one day, and she'd be with Mr right when he came along, who ever he was, where ever he was, she'd find him when she least expected. Well actually that's what her mum had told her last night to try and cheer her up, but some how, even though her heart didn't believe that Mr right wasn't Jack, she couldn't help but sense that today was going to be a beautiful day.

She continued walking along the beach, removing her flip flops from her feet to stop the sand dragging her as began to walk along the sand ash she came further she cm across a sad face, it was Serena, she was crying.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Martha asked sitting down next to her.

Serena turned around and looked at her, before looking back out at the ocean, "I told Jack".

"How did he take it?"

"I don't know, I really don't know" she sighed, "first he looked shocked, and then I thought he looked a little angry, but... it was like he felt nothing. And then he just said that he wanted time to be alone".

"Look I'm sure he'll come round, it's just a big shock to him" Martha told her.

"And what i he doesn't come round, what if this is the start of the end of our marriage" Serena sobbed.

"Serena, you can't start thinking like that. Look if it's worrying you that much do you want me to go and talk to him later?"

Serena shock her head, "Nah, if you go in there it'll look like I sent you".

"No it won't, I promised him that I'd go and see him to give him some photo's of Dylan at he's first mini soccer game, so I could do it this afternoon" Martha explained.

"Ok then" Serena replied giving a weak smile.

"Now come on, if you think I'm going to let you sit here and mope around feeling sorry for yourself then your about to be proved wrong" Martha demanded her standing up and reaching out a hand to help Serena up.

"Yes princess Martha" she answered back taking it as an order and letting Martha help her up.

The two girls wandered back up the beach and sat down at one of the out door tables of the surf club. "So how was settling in back home yesterday?" Martha asked, trying to make conversation.

"Good, Beth was making such a fuss, anyone would think I couldn't do a thing for myself" she laughed, and Martha laughed too.

"Well enjoy it while it lasts then, as soon as she figures out your fine she's have you back to helping with diner and all the house work" Martha warned her.

"Yeah well believe it or not, I actually miss having to do all that".

"Really? That's something I don't think I can believe. Serena Holden actually misses house work"

"Yeah and I never realized how much I missed home cooked food until last night".

"Who wouldn't miss home cooked food when they've been eating hospital food for the last year?" Martha commented.

"I didn't expect you to still be here" Tash interrupted, this time she had Robbie with her.

"Hello, don't I get a hug?" Robbie asked cheerfully.

"Of course you do" Martha told him, getting up and giving him a big bear hug.

"Now who's your friend here?" Robbie asked bringing Serena into the conversation.

"Oh, of course. Robbie and Tash, this is Serena, Serena, this is Robbie and Tash" Martha introduced them all.

Just the mention of the name Serena suddenly made Tash not so inviting, this was the girl who stole her best friends man, even if her best friend didn't want to admit it.

"Hey, nice to meet you" Serena greeted them getting up and reaching her hand out for a hand shake, first to Robbie, then to Tash. But when Tash took Serena's hand she pulled on it making Serena trip, and then when she let go she but one hand on her stomach and groaned like she was in pain. Martha went to help Serena up and Robbie went to help Tash who was still pretending to be in pain, behind her face that was distraught with hurt that her stomach was 'supposedly' causing, was one huge satisfied smile. Tash then slowly pretended that it was going away, letting Robbie help her sit down.

"Sorry, that was my fault, are you ok?" Tash asked apologetically, making the whole thing look like a total accident.

"I'll live, are you ok, you sounded like you were in a hell of a lot of pain".

"I'm fine now, it's gone".

"But I think we should still go and get you checked out at the doctors" Robbie told her concerned.

"No Rob, I'm fine" Tash told him.

"No your not" Robbie explained to her, "come on lets go and get you checked out".

She couldn't argue with that face, so unwillingly, she agreed, "Ok".

"We should probably get you home too, you've had a rough day" Martha said turning to Serena who was sitting up on the ground clutching her arm that she'd fell on.

"Yeah", she managed to get out in pain.

"What's wrong?"

"My arm's killing me" she explained.

"Well maybe you took a nastier fall than we thought. Can you still move it?"

"Yeah, I think I just need to get home".

"Ok, lets try getting you to the car then" Martha instructed leaning down to help Serena up by putting Serena's arm around her shoulders and helping her walk.

"Then will you go see Jack?" Serena asked as she hobbles.

"Yeah, then I'll go see Jack" she reassured her.

-------

About an hour later Martha stood at the door that lead to where Jack was being held, she felt her heart skip a beat, still telling herself that Jack wasn't Mr right, but it seemed coming here and seeing him had taken any faith she had in that way of thinking, instead it made her want and miss him more. She opened the door slowly, listening to the creaking sound it made that sounded like a door in a ghost house, then she made her way through catching Jack's eye as she entered.

"Hey" was all she managed to get out while her mind was in a flutter.

"Hey" he smiled, which had been the first time he'd smiled a happy smile since Serena had dropped her bombshell this morning.

"Brought those photo's for you" she told him, returning to her usual state of mind and reaching into her bag.

"Cool, thanks" he said reaching out to Martha's hand that was holding out a pile of photo's.

"There's a few of him off the field in there too" she explained as Jack flicked through the photo's of his son.

"He's grown so much in the last year" Jack commented.

"Yeah he has, he's actually starting to look a lot like you".

"Well he's still got his mothers eyes" he smiled, his famous Jack holden smile.

"I never noticed that" she smiled back, catching his eyes with her's and finding herself clutching the bars of the cell and moving to the edge of her seat.

Jack did the same in his chair that was opposite to her, he could feel her hands entwined with his and her gaze streaming through his eyes. "Well I have... Dylan's like you in so many ways you haven't realized" he whispered in a hushed gently voice, reaching one hand through the bars to brush a stray strand of hair back behind her ear. "Your beautiful" he continued, not realizing how much of his heart he was revealing, but it was addictive and he wanted to keep talking, and looking deep into her eyes, like he was right then and now.

Martha could feel her heart racing, and the thought that Jack had a wife was wiped from her brain. A passion was running through her blood, a passion that he just wanted more and more of like it was an addiction. She could feel her face moving closer and closer to Jack's, and their bodies both rised so that they were on their feet, moving closer and closer till they could feel the bars that separated them.

He slipped both his arms through the bars, wrapping them around Martha, and her's also made their way through the bars, snaking around Jacks neck, suddenly, just as Martha was about to pull away, there lips met and they both gave in to there desires.

He pulled her closer against the bars that were in between them and gently rubbed his tongue along the roof of her mouth. Martha let out a moan of pleasure and pain, she could feel Jack's lips moving under hers his hands running vigorously up and down her back just like he did all hose years ago. Her chest was in pain from the bars that were pushing up on her skin, almost digging in like she was being stabbed, but it was an addictive pain, one she didn't want to pull away from. She was struggling for air, but she dared not breathe, she held on as long as her lungs would let her.

Their lips separated slightly, panting for air. There bodies were trembling and shaking in the shadows of the moonlight that shone through the metal grates on the opposite side of the room. Their arms stayed tightly wrapped around each other and they both continued to stair into each others eyes, looking into each others thoughts, wanting more and more of what the other had to offer. Once they began to catch up on their breath nether of them hesitated to go back for more and the only sound that could be hear was the sounds of their hearts, telling them that this was right, this was how it was all ment to be, it was fate.

_Author note: Hope all the Martha and Jack fans are happy now, I'd really like to know what you all think, so as usual I won't be continuing until I've got at least 2 reviews, more would be even nicer, the review button is just in the bottom right hand corner. So please take just a minute to give your opinion, I love reading your reviews._


	15. Fading away

_Thank you for all the reviews guys, this chapter isn't as long as the last two, but I hope you still like it._

_Chapter number 15. Fading away_

The clouds gathered in the afternoon sky, slightly grayish, and only the slightest ray of sunshine struggled it's way through shinning it's light. Through an open window of the Holden's mansion, Serena lay in the middle of the double king sized bed, she was tired and wondering what was taking Martha so long, she should have been back by now, 'maybe she'd been tired and gone home, but she would of called' Serena thought to herself. Then she had a terrible thought, 'what if she's had an accident?' she panicked.

But she was unaware of what was really going on, Martha was fine, well she was more than fine, she was excellent, and she hadn't been quite this happy since... since... way too long ago. But Serena didn't know that, so she picked up her phone that was in her handbag next to her, searching quickly through her contacts to get to Martha's.

Back where all the action was happening at the prison, Martha's phone began ringing. Jack and Martha both looked over at where her bag was sitting next to the chair where Martha had been sitting after she came in, "You going to pick it up?" Jack asked catching his breath.

"No, they can wait" Martha told him turning her full attention back to him, ready for more. In her twenty six years of life she'd never made out with anyone through bars, and now that she had, she quite liked it, even though she wished more than anything that the bars weren't there and she could take him home with her.

"So were were we then" Jack brought the subject back to them, raising his eyebrows at her.

"Well, I think it was something like this" she smiled, pulling Jack's head right up so that she could kiss him again through the fifteen centimeter gap between the poles that stood vertically from the floor to the roof.

"Mmm" he mumbled from the feel of her lips on his again. He ran his hands along her back softly, yet forcefully pushing her closer, getting the reaction he wanted from her; a groan that asked for more, teasing him, making him wish more than ever that the poles he could feel digging into him would magically disappear.

Serena gave up and put her phone down again, there had been no answer, it was humid and she felt dehydrated, knowing she needed to get up, and totally oblivious to the affair unfolding only half an our away she slowly hopped out of her bed.

She removed her jacket placing it down on the back of a chair and before leaving the room, took one glance at herself in the mirror. She was horrified, along her arm that she'd fallen on were hundreds of blue and purple bruises, even that fall wouldn't of caused that, she looked on the inside of her arm, it too had many bruises. She had a sudden moment of fear, what if... she thought, but it couldn't be could it? She'd only just been given the all clear.

She made her way slowly down the stairs, using the hand rail as support, she felt so weak, and by the time she reached the bottom, she was short of air, and all of a sudden it hit her... she was right before ... the Leukemia... it was back.

She needed water, her body needed rest, and she found herself crawling long the floor to stop herself collapsing.

As she got to the kitchen she used the edge of the bench to help herself up and reach up to get a glass out of the top cupboard, she reached for the glass, holding it in one hand, it and it's surroundings slowly fading away, like the world was blacking out.

She lost her grip on the glass, it slipped out of her hand, gliding to the floor, and her body followed in one motion.

The world was black, pitch black...

Life was a blurry dream of nothing...

And there she lay, no one to help her...

Unable to give any sound that might draw attention to herself...

This was the Serena know one knew, helpless, unable to save herself, weak and struggling for life.

_To be continued when I have 2 reviews._


	16. Love me the same again

_Chapter number 16. Love me the same again_

"Aha" Lara called out pulling out a file from one of the cabinet's in the back room of the police station. "Peter I found it!" she yelled.

"Really?" Peter asked getting excited rushing down to the back room.

"Yeap, it's here. I just don't know how it got from your desk to all the way out here" she told him when he came in and grabbed the file off her to see for himself, "I mean, it's not like the stupid thing walked it's self all the way out here".

"Yeah, your right, I think were going to have to keep a closer eye on some of the juniors, there the only ones that would of made a mistake as big as that" he agreed still with his nose in the document reading through it as he talked.

"Peter!" Lara demanded his attention, pushing the top edge of the yellow folder down so that his face wasn't covered.

"What?" he asked looking up at her.

"I don't think the juniors did this".

"What do you mean?"

"You even said yourself that it's a pretty big mistake, everyone in here knows that these cabinets aren't something anyone looks through without permission form you, me or Tracey, let alone use it to hide files in, and the juniors know that more than anyone cause it's one of the things there told everyday of there lives in here!"

"Are you trying to tell me that someone put this here on purpose?" Peter raised his voice.

"No, but I guess that's always a possibility" she raised her tone to match his to make him get the point that she was serious. "Peter, all I'm trying to say is that this place isn't exactly top security, it's quite possible that someone's been sneaking in here trying to play mind games with this file and who knows what else. You of all people should see it Peter, stuff has been going missing since this file first came into our hands... you were right the other day when you said there was more to this case" she lowered her voice down, dead seriousness was in her eyes. "There's something fishy going on, for all we know it could be another Zoe on the lose".

"Ok, look we've got work to do, I want a list of all the files that went missing, what they were about and any other information you can get you hands on, there's got to be some link to this" Peter told her closing the file and leaving to go and take another look at it in his office.

------------------------------------------------

At the Yabbie creek hospital, the place was in it's busiest hour of the day and yet another ambulance pulled in to be emptied. The driver got out of the car and opened the back doors for the nurses to get the patient out. The wheeled her inside, being as quick as possible. "Serena Holden, twenty eight" one of them called out to doctor Simpson.

"Ok, get her into a room, and quickly" she ordered.

"Doc, is she going to be ok?" Tony asked concerned.

"I don't know. Were you there when it happened?"

"No, I just came home to her struggling for life on the kitchen floor, and there were some pretty serious bruises up her arm" he explained. Doctor Simpson's face looked more serious now, and Tony got more worried. "Look be honest with me..." he started, "the cancer's back isn't it?"

"Nothing's certain yet" she simply said before walking off to attend to Serena.

------------------------------------------------

"So what do we do now?" Martha asked breaking the silence in the room. A few minutes ago they'd both pulled away, and now they both sat in their chairs looking at each other, not knowing what to think or do. But yet they still smiled at each other, there gaze fixed at meeting point, they knew what they'd done was wrong, Jack was a married man, but yet nether regretted a single moment of it, and they didn't even feel the slightest bit bad about it, which made Jack start to wonder if anything in his brain was actually wired properly.

"Well..." Jack started, "I guess we have to start with what we both want, what we honestly want. Last time I rejected you when I honestly wanted you, I lost you".

"What are you trying to say?" she asked softly.

"I'm saying that I... I, um, I-"

Martha had an amused smile on her face, the look of confusion on Jack's face was priceless. "You what?"

"I, um, I lo-" Jack blabbered, "What the hell, I'm just going to say it! I love you".

All Martha's amusement on her face suddenly disappeared, 'he loves me?' she thought to herself, then lips began to smile, 'he loves me!'.

Jack was itching to know what she thought, and her not saying anything wasn't helping one single bit. "What's that smile for?" he asked soothingly.

"I love you too" she whispered, "I love you too".

Jack was delighted by hearing those words, 'she loves me!' he could hear his mind screaming. He looked into her eyes for a moment, "you've got doubts haven't you?"

"Just a few" she said honestly.

"Martha talk to me, tell me what your thinking" he pleaded with her.

"I hate to be to one to bring you back to reality Jack, but... you have a wife, a wife who loves you very much. And also happens to be one of my best friends".

"Yeah I know that, that's the only reason I've held back for so long" he told her looking at the girl of his dreams sitting in front of him stairing at her hands.

Martha looked up at him, giving him a curious look, "what?"

"Martha we're ment to be together, you are the most amazing, strongest, most loving girl I know, and getting to know you again, it's... it's made me realize what an idiot I was to you all those years ago-"

"Jack".

"Martha, just hear me out please" he begged her. "What I'm trying to say is, being in here, I've had a lot of time to think about what is really important to me, and I've had a lot of time to think about all the things I would of done different in my life" he told her getting off his chair and getting down on his knees, placing his hands through the bars and holding Martha's hands in his that were neatly placed on her lap. "Remember what things were like... there was just us... our dreams ...our love" he whispered, looking her dead in the eye. "I know things are different now, and I know, I know I'm asking a lot, especially when I'm in prison, but we can make it work can't we?" he asked, pouring his heart out to her right before her, a twinkly in his eyes, promising he would love her forever.

Martha nodded quickly, she was crying, crying with all the happiness in her heart, "yes" she cried, sliding off the edge of her seat like she was falling, "yes, yes, we can. I love you so much" she continued getting down on the floor so she was level with Jack. He reached his hand out and stroked her cheek, wiping away her tears, wrapping his strong steady arm around her, holding her as close as he could, gazing into her eyes, where they both huddled together on the floor.

"Baby please don't cry" she told her lovingly.

"I'm just so happy" she whispered, not even noticing how orquad there position on the floor was with them both tangled around the bars to stay together.

"Me too, me too" she said in a hushed voice in the last few seconds before he was silenced by a kiss, that was so tender and sweet, one that could only come from Martha. Only she could make him feel the way he was feeling right now.

_I'll continue soon, please review, there won't be an update until I've got at least 2._


	17. It's just bad timing

_Ok so lately I've had a few people asking me, 'what the hell is with this file that doesn't make any sense?', well hopefully this chapter will help a little, and if it doesn't then it will probably make it seem even more confusing, anyway here's the next chapter._

_Chapter number 17. It's just bad timing_

"Hello" Martha said into her phone that had interrupted her and Jack five times in the last ten minutes.

"Hey Martha, it's Tony" Tony's voice replied, not sounding that great.

"Oh, hi, what's up?"

"It's Serena, I came home and found her unconscious on the kitchen floor.

"Oh, my gosh, is she ok?" Martha asked, this grabbed Jacks attention and he knew something was wrong.

"Not really, she's awake know, but they've done some tests and the Leukemia's back".

Martha let out a stressful sigh, "Is she up for visitors?"

"Well not at the moment, she should be later".

"Well I'll come round later then, thanks for letting me know".

"No problem".

"Bye"

"Bye".

Martha hung up the phone and slowly turned around to look at Jack. "What's going on?" Jack asked, he had a look of fear in his eyes, and Martha took in a deep breath before talking.

"It's Serena" she started.

------------------------------------------------

At the police station Peter sat in his office with the door closed. The only sound that could be heard in the back ground was phone's ringing people talking in the distance. He clutched on to the edges of the paper in front of him, the mind game going round and round in his head, driving him crazy, teasing him, pushing his limit's.

"Peter, I got that list" Lara told him after she opened the door and walked in.

Peter didn't even take his eye off the file, "yeah, thanks".

Sensing how absorbed he was into this case, Lara decided she was getting in the way, "well I'll leave you too it then" she told him closing the door.

------------------------------------------------

"I just feel so bad about it" Tash said stairing off into the middle of nowhere. She was sitting on the couch at Irene's next to Robbie.

"Well I would too if I were you, you tripped her over on purpose".

"Oh thanks for the support Rob" Tash said sarcastically.

"Sorry, it's just not like you Tash" he apologized.

"Yeah I know" she sighed, "I don't know what came over me, it's just... When I first saw Martha at the dinner yesterday, I had this picture in my mind of how things had turned out, and..."

"And what?"

"And, I mean, I don't know. When Martha was telling me about everything that happened to her, before she got to the end, it's just, hearing about everything she's been through, I just thought that she deserved some happiness, and I thought that happiness would be with Jack" she paused and started shaking her head slightly as Robbie put his arm around her, pulling her head on her shoulder. "Then she got closer to the end, and she was telling me about how Sean took Dylan just after he was born, and then when she came home she was introduced to Serena... Jack's new wife".

"Look Tash, I'm sure Martha's happy, I mean, she must be happy if not only she can just bee friends with Jack but can also be best friends with his new wife" Robbie told her.

"Yeah I know" she sighed, "I know. I just didn't want to accept it that way at the time".

"Well I guess there's one good thing that's come out of this" Robbie started, hoping to cheer her up.

"What's that?"

"Well the bruising that came up on her arm showed one of the symptoms so the Leukemia could be identified".

"Yeah, but still, I still can't help but feel terrible, I mean, I was the start of her being put in hospital".

"Yeah and if it wasn't your fault it would have been someone else's. She's got Leukemia Tash, being in hospital sooner only helps her".

"Ok, you win. But-"

"Why is there always a but?" Robbie complained.

"Oh shut up!" she screeched, playfully hitting him on the arm. "I was about to say it would at least be nice if I went and apologized to her myself".

"Yeah, I'm sure she'd like that. How about we go later when she's had some rest?"

"Sounds good".

------------------------------------------------

Peter scanned his eyes across the information Lara had handed him about the missing files, and one thing caught his attention; the document numbers that contained six digest, they were the same random numbers that were scattered in various places in the file that was causing all this chaos. Making this realization he imediently grabbed the scrambled document and began scanning his way through it.

_Missing person 132637. All matter was hidden, police tried to find evidence of the crime, failing to find anything and letting down the innocent people of this world._

_257935, at the cross, turn right, walk ten meters, turn left, cross road, walk for a kilometer. Find what you want detective, some how I think it will fascinate you._

_667728, death, death, death._

_357294, 135291, 192034._

_bang, bang, bang, find the clues, or it could cost you your life, someone is watching you, it's not me, I can only hint who it is. Bang, bang, bang, if anyone asks I never helped you._

Peter stopped reading for a minute this was about the spot he always stopped when reading this, it scared him in some ways, it mentioned a person as 'detective', but he had no way of figuring out if it ment him, or some one else, and he also had no way of knowing if who ever had planed this here was for real or just playing games.

The next bit was what was the strangest of the whole thing.

_Tick, tock... 138666._

_ding dong, anything clicking now?_

_234024, 550285, 273677, 092678..._

_maybe you need some more clues..._

_405295, 594735, 503829,489204..._

_tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tick, tick, tock..._

Still not knowing what all this ment, Peter stood up and walked over to the white board, he presumed that the numbers of the files had to mean something, 'maybe', he thought, 'maybe the numbers are like a blank spot... and I just have to fill them in'.

------------------------------------------------

"This can't be happening again" Jack said out loud after hearing the news.

Martha had started crying again, it was a shock, a real shock, and it couldn't of happened at a worse time, "what if... what if she's not as lucky this time" she whispered.

"Yeah, and what if she is?" he changed it around.

Martha let out a loud breath of air, trying to calm herself down, she looked in his eyes, they seemed as confused as her's, "What does this mean for us?"

"I don't know, I don't know".

"I mean, I can't share you Jack, I know before you said we could make it work, but I'm making myself clear now, I'm not sneaking around behind her ba-"

"And I'm not asking you to ether" Jack reassured her. "But..."

"But what?"

"But we can't break the news to her yet, not while she's in her condition".

"Yeah, that would just be too cruel"

"So what are we going to do then?" Jack asked.

"Nothing" she simply said.

"What do you mean nothing?"

"I mean, we pretend like none of this happened-"

"No Martha" he cut her off.

"Jack let me finish, please".

"Martha, I love you I'm not going to pretend that this never happened" he told her.

"Jack, what I ment was, we wait for a while".

"A while?"

"Yeah" Martha restated her opinion. "Look Jack, I know it's hard, but, it's just bad timing".

Jack just nodded, "I guess so".

_I won't be continuing until I've got at least 2 or more reviews._


	18. Greensville

_Chapter number 18. Greensville_

"Well this looks like hard work" Lara commented as she walked into Peter's office to see him with a white board marker in one hand along with a file and about five other files in the other hand.

"No not really" he told her with out even looking up at her.

"Men" she mumbled to herself shaking her head. "So detective since this all one big blur to me, could you kindly explain?"

"Well" he started putting the lid back on the marker and pilling the files on the edge of his desk, he was definitely getting right into this case, "I figured out that the random numbers are the numbers on the files that went missing".

"So the numbers are like blanks to do with the files?"

"I think so".

"Well lets get started on it then"

"Ok".

"Ok lets rewrite the thing and leave blanks where the numbers are, then we can figure out from the files what is supposed to go in the blank" Lara suggested.

"Yeah sounds good" he answered getting up and grabbing the white board marker to get back into full swing.

------------------------------------------------

"Hey, just coming to see how your doing" Tash said cheerfully making her way into Serena's hospital room.

"I've been better" she sighed.

"Yeah, must have been a shock".

"Not really, to be honest the fact I was better hadn't really sunk in yet, maybe this was why".

"Look sorry again about this morning" Tash apologized.

"Hey it wasn't your fault".

"Yeah, actually, it was" Tash started, beginning to feel a little uncomfortable.

"What do you mean?"

"Ok, I've got a lot of explaining to do haven't I?"

"Yeah, starting with how it could possibly be your fault".

"Ok, I'll start at the beginning".

------------------------------------------------

"Ok so how are we supposed to figure out what part of each document to put in the blank?" Lara asked, half an hour had passed since she'd come in and at the moment they'd gotten no where.

"Well" Peter sighed.

"You don't know?" she finished him off.

"Yeah" she paused for a minute. "Wait a minute".

"What?"

"All the grouped ones here, have they got a link?"

"Hang on I'll check" Lara told him reaching out for the pile of documents, while Peter read through the nonsense again.

"Actually they do have a link" Lara told him.

"Really?"

"Yeah, there all crimes in a town called Greensville" she explained.

"All eleven of them?"

"Yeap. I guess we should start there, maybe it will be easier to figure out what the other four files have to do with this when we get there".

"Yeap, ok, lets go" he concluded grabbing the files and a few other necessary things like his gun and hand cuffs on the way out.

------------------------------------------------

"Like I said, I am so sorry, I wasn't thinking straight" Tash explained to Serena who had been listening to her story for the last five minutes.

"Look it's ok, if it wasn't for that they might not of been able to get me back in chemotherapy before it was too late".

"When are they starting that again?"

"Today"

"Well that was quick".

"Yeah, Dr Simpson said it was better to start as soon as possible".

"Well I hope you get better soon then"

"Sorry to do this to you Serena, but were going to have to get you into chemo now while the doctor's got time, she some how managed to double book herself for later" a nurse explained, ducking her head through the door. "She'll be here in a few minutes".

"Ok thanks" Serena answered.

"Well I better get going then" Tash told her.

"Ok see you later then"

"Yeap bye".

------------------------------------------------

"So how did it go?" Robbie asked, getting out of the blue hospital chair he was sitting on in the waiting room.

"Good, she was actually really nice about it" Tash told him, feeling rather proud of herself.

"Well thats great".

"Achoo" Tash sneezed.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I think I'm coming down with the flew, I was my nose was a bit stuffy this morning and I had a bit of a cough".

"Well how about we get you home before you give it to anyone else then" Robbie suggested.

"Yeah, ok".

------------------------------------------------

Peter sat in the passengers seat of the police car, in his hands was the pile of documents that had been making his mind spin all day. He'd filled in the gaps that revolved around Greensville and now it looked like this:

-

_Missing person 132637. All matter was hidden, police tried to find evidence of the crime, failing to find anything and letting down the innocent people of this world._

_257935, at the cross, turn right, walk ten meters, turn left, cross road, walk for a kilometer. Find what you want detective, some how I think it will fascinate you._

_667728, death, death, death._

_Greensville, Greensville, Greensville._

_bang, bang, bang, find the clues, or it could cost you your life, someone is watching you, it's not me, I can only hint who it is. Bang, bang, bang, if anyone asks I never helped you._

_Tick, tock... 138666._

_ding dong, anything clicking now?_

_Greensville, Greensville, Greensville, Greensville..._

_maybe you need some more clues..._

_Greensville, Greensville, Greensville, Greensville..._

_tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tick, tick, tock..._

-

"Well here we are" Lara broke the silence as she stopped the car.

They both looked around, Greensville looked a lot like an incredibly small cowboy town out of a movie, the ground was dry and the place looked like it hadn't had rain in quite some time. "So" Peter puffed, "this is Greensville".

"I would of expected something a little more..."

"Greener?" Peter finished her off.

"Yeah. Anyway, now that were here, where the heck to we start?"

"Well... I guess it's got something to do with this line here" Peter said pointing to the line that said '_257935, at the cross, turn right, walk ten meters, turn left, cross road, walk for a kilometer. Find what you want detective, some how I think it will fascinate you.'_

"Ok so 257935..." Lara said out loud flicking through the information on the missing files, "here we go".

Peter skimmed through the page, "Ahh, another crime of this town".

"What?"

"It's a bombing of a church in the area".

"Well I guess that's where our cross will be then".

"Yeah, but the question is, how do we find it, this place is so far off the radar that all it is on the map is a dot".

"Well we'll ask for directions then" Lara told him.

"No we don't need directions, I'm sure we'll find it".

"Why is it that men have a problem with asking for directions?" Lara complained.

"We don't" Peter defended himself.

"Well if you don't have a problem with asking for directions then why don't you just ask?"

"Alright you win" Peter gave in opening the door of the car and getting out.

_Author note: Just so everyone knows, Greensville is just a place I made up, if there is a place with that name, I'm sure it's not anything like the one I've made up. Anyway, I'll continue when I've got 2 or more reviews._


	19. Loyd's quest

_Chapter number 19. Loyd's quest_

_The sun rose across the crystal blue water, catching it's light in the tiny ripples of the waves, it was the start of another beautiful sunny day in Summer bay, and two local residence sat on the sand enjoying every minute of it, and every minute of their company in each other's arms. _

"_It's so beautiful out here at this time of morning" Martha spoke softly from where her head was rested on Jack's shoulder._

"_Not nearly as beautiful as you" Jack whispered, kissing her on the head._

"_I thought I knocked out your hearing, not your eye sight" Martha laughed sarcastically before playfully kissing Jack on the cheek._

"_Hey, there's nothing wrong with my eye sight" Jack defended himself, "you just don't want to admit that your a total hottie" Jack smirked, giving her a cheeky wink._

_Martha pulled away from Jack, pretending to be offended, "is that your way of telling me you want to get me back into bed constable?" she asked innocently teasing him, enjoying every minute of it._

"_Mmm, absolutely" Jack nodded smartly with a huge grin on his face. He then got up and lifted Martha over his shoulders._

"_Put me down Jack!" Martha screamed between giggles._

_After about ten seconds of Martha's carrying on, Jack stopped and put Martha back on her feet. "Fine reject me"._

"_Aww, you know I love you" Martha told him sweetly._

"_Of course. And I love you too" he whispered in her hear, leaning forward and sweeping her off her feet with a kiss._

"Martha, earth to Martha" Rose called out waving a hand in front of Martha's face. Martha looked around the room, she was still at home in the lounge room, not on the beach with Jack, for the last few minutes, her mind had been with him, back when they were still young, still together and still free from the world. But she couldn't hide her smile that was plastered across her face like her mind was still partly with Jack.

"Yeah, what?" she asked, still smiling.

"What's up with you? Ever since you got home you've been off with the fairies, with one huge smile" she said.

"Nothing" she shot out straight away.

"Yeah, and you could of convinced me" she said sarcastically.

"Alright so, I've got my eye on someone" Martha told her, tipping her head back on the arm rest and sighing contently.

"Really? Looks more like your head over heals for the guy" she laughed, "wait let me guess... is it the new chief down the road, now he's a hottie".

"Nope".

"Hmm" she puffed, taking another guess, "is it... is it that guy who couldn't stop drooling over you last week at the beach".

"What guy?" Martha asked, taking her smile away for a second.

"Never mind, I'll take that as a no" she told her, studying her face for a moment, Martha's smile had returned, it was so full of joy, she'd seen it before, she just couldn't think where... "Oh I see".

"You see what?"

"That look could only mean one person".

Martha looked at her strangely for a second.

"Jack".

"What?"

"It's Jack isn't it?" Rose demanded, she knew the answer to that one, she could read Martha like a book, and right now Martha's face had turned to a, still happy, yet guilty look. "You don't need to answer that one, just tell me all the goss" she said, pulling up a pillow making it clear that Martha was not about to get out of this.

------------------------------------------------

Back at Greensville, Peter and Lara were walking into a bar in search of some directions. "I'll go talk to the guy at the counter, see if he can help".

"Alright, I'll go sit down then".

"So what brings you hear officer?" the guy at the counter asked.

"Well I was hoping that you could help me with something" Lara explained.

"Really and what might that be?" he asked raising one eyebrow in curiosity.

"Well I'm looking for a church that got bombed out about five years ago".

"And is there anything significant about this church may I ask?" he asked with a curious look on his face.

Lara looked at him for a moment, he didn't look like the type that could be trusted, just about everyone in the room looked as if they'd been a criminal, including the guy at the counter. He had a bald head, muscley arms, a black leather jacket and tattoo's all the way up the length of his arms. Thinking of the smallest detail she lowered her voice and spoke, "a cross".

"A cross you say, hey?"

"Yeah".

"Don't let anyone hear you say that too loud. There very protective about the quest" he whispered .

"What?"

"The quest, please don't tell me you haven't heard of the quest?"

"Sorry" she shrugged.

The guy then looked cautiously around and then leaned forward, talking in a whisper, "the quest to..." he started, before looking around again, then whispered even softer, "Loyd".

Lara's eyes widened, "Sean Loyd?"

"Shh, keep your voice down".

"But were not looking for him, he died years ago" Lara whispered.

"I ment the quest to ind his secrets, his work, what made him so damn good at being bad. This town is full of wanna be Loyd's, I see tones of them coming in here and asking about the cross that leads to the quest" he explained, still keeping his voice right down and his.

"Well looks like I'm the first who's not loony to ask about it then, anyway can you give me directions to the church or not?" she asked getting a little impatient.

"Yeah of course I can" the guy told her leaning back from her and returning to normal pitch. "Turn left at the intersection just down there" he told her pointing down the road, " and then go right two streets down".

"Thanks" the said before walking back to Peter. "You ready to go?"

"Yeap" he replied getting up and following her out the door. "Lara?"

"Yeah".

"I think I've figured it out" he told her as they got out the door, he handed her a piece of paper that's he'd been writing on. He'd figured out that the person or place the case was revolved around went in the gaps. 132637 had been the missing person's case on Matt, 257935 was the case on the burned out church they were looking for, 667728 had been the case about Sean Loyd's murder by Jack and 138666 was Jack's court case.

-

_Missing person Matt Wilson. All matter was hidden, police tried to find evidence of the crime, failing to find anything and letting down the innocent people of this world._

_Greensville town church, at the cross, turn right, walk ten meters, turn left, cross road, walk for a kilometer. Find what you want detective, some how I think it will fascinate you._

_Sean Loyd / Jack Holden (ether one), death, death, death._

_Greensville, Greensville, Greensville._

_bang, bang, bang, find the clues, or it could cost you your life, someone is watching you, it's not me, I can only hint who it is. Bang, bang, bang, if anyone asks I never helped you._

_Tick, tock... Jack Holden._

_ding dong, anything clicking now?_

_Greensville, Greensville, Greensville, Greensville..._

_maybe you need some more clues..._

_Greensville, Greensville, Greensville, Greensville..._

_tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tick, tick, tock..._

_-_

"Oh my gosh" Lara said in amazement, "It can't be, what's this got to do with Jack?"

------------------------------------------------

"So your saying he cheated on Serena for you?" Rose asked after Martha had explained.

"Well I guess you could say that"

"You guess?"

"Well I hadn't really thought of it that way".

"So what are you going to do about the major problem, being his wife?"

"Look were taking it as it comes, and for now were waiting for the right moment till were actually together" Martha explained, "so you never heard this ok?"

"Yeah, like I'd tell, you know me, I never liked that bimbo anyway".

"Rose".

"What, I'm just being honest, maybe you should try it".

"Sorry?"

"Martha, one minute your best friends with the girl and the next your hooking up with her husband, make up your mind would you woman!"

"Well it's not my fault she's in love with the same guy as me" Martha exclaimed, "I certainly don't blame her ether".

"Yeah but Martha think about it, for the last three years she's been married to him and do you really think it's going to go down well when she finds out he's been unfaithful with her best friend? Martha, I'm on your side, I really am, but I'm just trying to make you think about it" she pressured her.

"Yeah I know" she sighed, why did life have to be so darn complicated!

------------------------------------------------

"Well that's our cross" Lara stopped the car, letting the headlights shine on the tall white cross that stood in the middle of a round about outside an old burned church. It was getting dark, and soon there would be no light except the moon.

"Ok lets take a look" Peter said getting out and grabbing two long black torches, handing one to Lara.

"Thanks" she replied, also getting out and taking a look at the cross. "The question is which left to we go? For all we know who ever wrote this could have been meaning from the other side".

"Yeah and I think they were too" Peter told her.

"What makes you think that?"

"Have a look at this" Peter told her who was standing on the other side of the cross.

Lara made her way around and looked at what Peter's torch was shinning on, it was a gold piece of metal that had written in black letter's, 'the cross, the way'.

"Well I guess they were then" she agreed, "come on, lets make a move".

------------------------------------------------

"How are you feeling now Serena?" Dr Simpson asked after bringing her out of chemotherapy.

"Alright, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be this time".

"Well that's good, I'll come in tomorrow just to do a routine checkup like we did this morning, just to make sure your still healthy".

"Ok, thank you" Serena said.

"You welcome, anyway I'll see you later, I've got plenty of other patients to see".

------------------------------------------------

"Ouch" Lara cried, tripping over a log, they'd been walking for half an hour now and it was pitch black.

"You right there?" Peter asked reaching out a hand to help her.

"Yeah, I just hope we get there soon" she told him picking up her torch that she'd dropped.

"Well I think your in luck then cause we've been walking for about a kilometer now and I think that's what were looking for" Peter explained, shining his flash light at a old wooden shed.

"You sure?"

"Well there's nothing else out here".

"What do you think is in there?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it better be good, and it better be fast, It's getting late" Peter grumbled.

"You first" Lara said nervously as they got to the door.

"No, ladies first" Peter told her opening the door out for her.

She took in a deep breath and swallowed hard, making her way in. "Well looks like we've got a lot of work on our hands" Lara said in surprise when she shined her light on the masses of files and boxes crowded in the room.

Peter sighed when he saw what she ment, "I don't believe this".

"Peter come on, lets get started, complaining will only make both of us hate this even more".

------------------------------------------------

"This is a waist of time, come on Lara, let's just admit it, this was a..." Peter paused when he saw what he'd just picked up.

"What?"

"I think you should take a look at this".

Lara came from behind Peter and reached over to take the file, skimming through it, "oh my gosh" she said in astonishment. "It couldn't be could it?"

Peter nodded, "Loyd" he simply replied, "this was his plan".

_Please review, I'll continue when I get two reviews._


	20. It's ok, it's ok

_Chapter number 20. It's ok, it's ok_

"I don't believe it" Lara continued in shock.

"Well all the evidence is there" Peter pointed out.

"Yeah, but-" she was lost for words, "this is huge Peter, I mean, Loyd wanted Jack dead" she exclaimed, taking another look at the file, it was a document on an order for the murder of Jack Holden, and instead, Sean Loyd himself had been the one who ended up dead.

"Well the guy was pretty twisted, you know that, and his signature is down the bottom".

"Yeah, still why couldn't this of come out before Jack went and killed him?"

"I don't know, but it would have been nice if it did, then we would still have him at the station. Did you see anything else interesting?"

"Nope" she puffed, beginning to search where Peter had been. "Peter" she started looking at what had been under Jack's death order.

Peter looked where she was looking then picked up another piece of paper studying it.

"And there's another one" Lara spotted, then picked up the whole pile.

"He wanted Martha dead?" Peter said aloud putting the piece of paper on top of the pile in Lara's hands.

"He wanted a lot of people dead by the looks of it" she told him beginning to flick through each piece of paper, "Serena Holden, Rose Hoyland, Boyd Hoyland, Brett Macklin, Ruth Macklin, Dylan Loyd-"

"This guy's more twisted than we thought, he wanted his own son murdered?"

"Well who he thought was his son" Lara replied shaking her head in disbelief, "there's more here too, Kylie Green, Jemma Wilson, Peter Bake-"

"It's me isn't it?" Peter asked, not really needing an answer, he was pretty much convinced that the guy hatted him.

"Yeah" she answered uncomfortably.

"Well at least they guy isn't still alive, there's a stack of pages here. Look lets get these back to the station, well send more officers here tomorrow" Peter yawned.

"Yeah it's getting late, and I think we've had enough adventures for one day".

------------------------------------------------

The next day Dr Simpson was doing her normal check up on Serena. "I'm a bit worried about this temperature of your's Serena, it's not looking too good". The doctor told her.

"What is it a bug or something?"

"I don't know, it could be the Leukemia getting worse, but we can't be sure just yet, I'll have another doctor come and check on you later".

------------------------------------------------

"I want as many officers down there that we can get, who knows what else could be in that shed" Peter ordered at the meeting of officers at the station. "Ok, now the direction's are fixed into the computer directory in all the police car's, so there should be no problem with getting there, so you all better start making a move" he told them. The officers made there way out, leaving Lara and Peter alone in the office.

"So are we going to head down there later then?" Lara asked.

"Yeah, maybe this afternoon, we can't leave this place unattended".

"Yeah" she sighed.

"So how are you holding up then?"

"Ok, I guess, that stuff in the shed last night freaked me out a little though".

"Yeah me too, even though the guy is dead" Peter comforted her, bringing her into a hug and holding her close, "It's going to be ok" he whispered, and without thinking he gave her a light kiss on top of her head.

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"Hello, Yabbie Creek police station" Peter answered the phone, it was two o'clock in the afternoon now and the station had been pretty silent all day, most of the staff were in Greensville and now the only people left at the station other than him was Lara and three of the juniors.

"Hey Boss" one of the other officers said. "We've found something".

"What is it?"

"We've found a record of the hit man Loyd used for all his work".

"Who?" Peter asked in anticipation.

"Matt Wilson" the words rang through the phone.

"But how, I mean, he was one of the people Loyd wanted dead" Peter told him.

"Yeah were aware of that, we've just found Loyd's diary, were trying to find something in there".

"Ok, I'll come down with Lara soon, keep me posted in the meantime".

"Ok, will do" he answered before hanging up.

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"Mummy look" Dylan exclaimed from where he sat in the middle of the lounge room floor, holding his Lego car high up in the air with pride.

"Wow sweety" Martha replied, talking down to his level, "how did you get so smart, hey?" she smiled running her fingers through his hair. Today had been a much better day than yesterday, it was three o'clock in the afternoon, and already today, she'd gone to Luna park with Dylan, Rose, Boyd and Izzy, she'd also taken Dylan to his swimming lesson's, not that he liked that much, but it was for his own good.

"Maybe a magic fairy gave me super powers" he said excitedly, jumping up in the air.

Martha giggled happily at this, she loved watching Dylan grow, he was so happy and full of life, and so much like his dad.

"Ringggggg..." the phone sounded and Rose rushed to pick it up.

"Hello. Um yeah she's here, I'll get her" Rose talked into the phone. "It's Beth for you Martha" she explained handing the cordless phone to Martha.

"Thanks" she replied taking the phone and holding it to her ear. "Hello".

"Hey Martha" Beth started, not sounding to good.

"Beth what's wrong?"

"It's Serena, the doctor did another check up on her this afternoon after her chemotherapy and..." she trailered off.

"And what?"

"And, she's caught something" Beth's voice managed to get out. "They think it's the flew, it's been going around town".

"But, how, I mean, why wasn't that checked before they sent her into chemo?"

"They did, where ever she got if from, it must have been between the check up and the chemo" Beth explained.

"Oh my gosh, this can't be happening, she could die" Martha whispered as she walked into another room so Dylan wouldn't hear, "the chemo took away her cells to fight it".

"I know" Beth sobbed.

"Look I'm coming down there now ok".

"No, you stay home, there's nothing you can do"

"No, Beth, I'm coming, I'll see you soon" Martha told her hanging up and rushing to leave. "Rose" she called out down the hall.

"Yeah" she called back coming towards her.

"Do you think you could look after Dylan for me?"

"Yeah, sure, what's all the rush for?"

"Serena's getting worse, I have to go" she simply said before leaving.

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"Were is she?" Martha asked in a panic, catching up on her breath after running through the hospital to where Tony and Beth were.

"She's resting love" Beth told her, trying to sound calm about the situation, but it wasn't convincing to anyone.

"I need to see her" Martha screeched.

"Look, if you be quiet I'm sure it won't be a problem" Tony told her patting her on the shoulder, trying to sound strong.

"Thanks Tony" Martha thanked him softly before walking into Serena's room.

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"Hey" Serena said weakly as Martha entered the room.

"Hey how are you feeling?" Martha asked softly sitting down slowly next to her.

"Not too good".

Martha just nodded, bitting her bottom lip to try and stop herself from bursting into tears, 'I have to stay strong' she told herself, 'I have to stay strong'.

"I'm not going to make it this time am I" Serena whispered.

"Please don't say that Serena" Martha begged, bursting into tears. "Please, you have to stay strong" she encouraged her, taking Serena's hand in her's.

"I don't know if I can do that, I've tried to stay strong, I really have" she sobbed, "but I can't, I just can't".

"No, please no, there are lots of people who love you and need you, Serena your my best friend".

"I know, but this has been a long battle, and now, it's taking over" she managed to get out, starting to struggle with her words.

"No, it can't end like that, no".

"Martha, please I need to go, I can't keep living like this, I've never felt so weak as I have in the last year, It's over Martha, it's over" she spoke softly.

Martha didn't know what to say, Serena was ready to die, she'd given up.

"I've got a confession to make".

"What's that?"

"Well actually there's a few" she sniffed, trying to smile. "That lip gloss that went missing a while ago, I borrowed it and lost it".

"Serena, it doesn't matter now".

"I know, I'm just trying to think of everything I've never admitted before, get it all out in the open" She smiled weakly, she was getting weaker, she didn't have much time left.

"Yeah, I've got something to admit. Back when we didn't get along, I was a little, well, jealous".

"No kidding" she said sarcastically.

"Was it really that obvious?"

"Yeah, just a little. I was a little unreasonable too" she admitted, "When Dylan was sick with the vomit bug, I gave him chocolate" Serena told her, continuing to admit all the things she'd done. "Oh and, remember that guy who kept hitting on you at Beth's party not long after you came back from having Dylan?"

"Yeah".

"I set that up, I was trying to make you fall for someone other than Jack" she explained.

"Really, so the truth all comes out now" Martha commented.

"Yeah, there's tones of other things, but I just can't think of them now".

The room went silent for a moment, Martha was feeling guilty inside, here she was hearing all these things that Serena was admitting to her and she was keeping the biggest secret of all bottled up. Then for some reason, something just forced the words out of her mouth. "I kissed Jack" she whispered, imediently slapping her hand across her mouth after it all came out.

Serena's face was in shock and her strength suddenly regained back in her arms, forcing herself to sit up and rest her back on the pillows. "You what?... When?"

Martha looked down at her hands, she felt even more guilty now. "Yesterday" she swallowed hard, waiting for her reaction. "Look Serena I am so sorry, I don't know what happened but it just-"

"Look, it's ok" Serena nodded slightly, giving her approval.

Martha's jaw dropped, "wow, did you you just say what I thought you said?"

Serena nodded, "Look, Martha, some how, I just knew this would happen one day. I'll let you in on a little secret about me and Jack" she paused for a moment, "When we first meet, we were both a real mess, and I guess that just made us both vonerable" she sighed, "then things got more and more intense, being around each other was like an escape from what ever it was we were both trying to get away from, and then I guess we both got attached to each other. When we got back, about a month later you came into the picture, and right from the first time I met you, I saw you as a treat, and that's what i held against you, then slowly I tried to wedge my way between you two, I just wanted to try and make things last I guess" she explained, fixing her eyes on the blank wall across the room. "And, not that I ever admitted it, but I just knew, I knew that you two were made for each other. I'm not going to make it Martha, and I want you both to be happy" she told her looking back at her, "I don't want you to hold back, or feel guilty about it".

"I don't know what to say" Martha spoke softly, tears streaming down her face.

"Well don't say anything then" she said weakly trying to smile.

_Author note: Hopefully that chapter answered any questions as to what Sean Loyd was up too that made the police go after him in the first place. I'll continue when I've got 2 reviews._


	21. Confusing feelings

_Chapter number 21. Confusing feelings_

"Peter" Lara exclaimed, she was sitting at Peter's desk, stairing at the documents they'd found at the shed last night, and one near the bottom of the pile had her name on it, Loyd had wanted her dead, along with her no good brother and nearly everyone else she knew.

"Yeah" he called back coming through the door and seeing her with the files in her hand. "Um Lara you don't need to be reading those".

"I already found the one with my name on it" she told him dully, "Peter, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry" he explained, pulling up a seat next to her and sitting down.

"This is part of a case I'm working on, you can't just keep these kinds of things from me!" Lara screamed. "Sorry" she apologized softly, "it's just a shock" she told him, bitting her lip, trying not to cry.

"No, I'm sorry, I should of told you" Peter told her soothingly.

"Promise you won't keep anything else from me?"

"I promise" he agreed nodding his head slightly. "They just called in before".

"And?" she asked, still trying to hold herself together.

"The hit man Loyd was hiring for all his work in the past was..."

"Who?"

"Matt" Peter told her, "Your brother Matt".

Lara was silent for a moment, "But how?" she began to lose control over her tears. "He was one of the one's Loyd wanted dead".

"We don't know yet" Peter told her in a hushed voice, trying to calm her down.

"For all we know, Loyd could of told him to kill everyone else on that list, and then finished him off himself" she sobbed.

"Lara, nothing's certain yet".

"That doesn't mean it's not true, knowing Matt's twisted mind he's probably watching and waiting for the right moment to kill me and everyone else. Why did I have to come from a messed up family?".

"Your not messed up, just because one brother has an obsession with crime doesn't mean your like that, your nothing like him, nothing at all" he told her, trying to make her feel safe, using his fingers to move a stray piece of hair back behind her ear. A tear rolled down her cheek, and Peter found himself whipping it away with his thumb before pulling her in close to him, sliding her onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her, "It's ok Lara, no one's going to hurt you, I promise" he whispered.

For some reason he felt the need to protect her, like he would blame himself if someone dared to hurt her, and once again, without thinking her kissed her gently on the top of her head while she cried into his shirt.

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"She looked so weak" Martha spoke sadly taking another sip of hospital made coffee from the disposable polystyrene cup. She looked over at Tony who was sitting next to her, he seemed lost, really lost, just like Beth, Maddie and Lucas who were sitting in chairs opposite them.

Maddie sighed, "why did this have to happen?".

"I don't know sweet" Beth sobbed, putting an arm around her, "It's not fair".

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Down the hall, a man in about his sixties stood in front of Serena's door, he looked at the number, it was twenty three, just like the nurse had said. Then slowly he reached out and grabbed the silver stainless steal door handle applying pressure on it to turn, ever so carefully pushing it open, taking a step inside.

Serena looked up, expecting to see Martha or one of the other's she tried to smile, but as soon as she saw who it was she was angry, "what are you doing here?" she asked, she couldn't raise her voice, she didn't have the strength, she just staired at him with fierce eyes.

"I came as soon as I heard about the-".

"Don't even pretend to care dad".

"Serena, of course I care, your my daughter".

"Like that's even made you care about anything else that happens to me, you sit and watch me get sent to jail for something I didn't even do, you sit there in front of me while I'm locked up and tell me that I got myself into that mess and that I deserved every single minute of it" she exclaimed, her voice going crackly and she was shaking from trying to make her weak body get her point across, "and you expect me to believe that you actually care when I'm dieing?"

"Look I know I made plenty of mistakes about you, but that doesn't mean that I don't love you. I can't lose you the same way I lost your mother" he whispered sitting down next to her bed.

"What? Mum had Leukemia? But why didn't you tell me?"

"You were too young, can you imagine explaining to a two year old that there mum just died from a deadly disease?"

"No, but that didn't mean you had to lie to me my whole life, you told me that she died in a car accident. Dad, your a doctor, a cancer doctor, you knew more than any one what her condition was and you couldn't even explain it to me" Serena said blankly, she didn't know what to do, she felt more betrayed than ever, so she did what came to her first, "just go".

"But Serena-"

"No dad, just go" she repeated, holding herself together and keeping a straight face.

"Hey, how-" Tony started as he came into the room, "hey, I didn't mean to interrupt anything".

"You weren't interrupting anything, he was just leaving" Serena told him, giving her dad a death stair.

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"You ok now?" Peter asked soothingly rubbing his hand up and down Lara's back.

"Yeah, thanks, I just got a bit of a scare".

"That's alright. I'm just glad your ok now".

"Me too, you've been a big help, not just today, ever since the whole thing with Matt last year you've been great, thank you, I don't know what I would of done with out you" she thanked him, there was a moment of silence, a moment of confusion, Peter could see a twinkle in her eye, there was something special about her.

He moved closer, their eyes locked. Lara didn't know what to do, so she gave him a hug instead, she couldn't kiss him. Her husband died three years ago and ever since then, when ever she'd gotten that close to another man she'd felt like she was walking allover his grave.

Peter felt a little disappointed, but he took her in his arms anyway ,"So are you up to going down to Greensville now?" he asked, pulling away from her.

"Of course I am, come on lets go" Lara said, getting up and grabbing Peter's hand, pulling him out of the door. Peter just smiled and followed her lead, it was good to see Lara's smile again, even if she didn't feel the same way towards him.

------------------------------------------------

Tony sat by Serena's side, ever since the guy that had been in here earlier had left, she'd been silent. She was getting weaker, the cancer was taking over. "Serena, is there anything I can do for you?"

Serena just nodded, slowly reaching out to grab a folded up piece of paper, her hand shock as she handed it to him, "can you give it to Jack for me?" she asked softly, she couldn't talk anymore than a small voice now, an her words were coming out slowly.

Tony nodded, trying to hold himself together, for everyone's sake, he had to stay strong, "I will. I'll make sure he gets it" he reassured her.

"Thank-, thank you".

_Please review, I need you opinion. I won't continue until I've got two reviews._


	22. What you mean to me

_Chapter number 22. What you mean to me._

Jack sat in his cell, his dad had come and gone five minutes ago, leaving him with a letter from Serena, he couldn't open it, he'd cheated on her and she knew nothing, well that's what he thought anyway. Then something forced his hand to unfold the piece of paper, stairing at Serena's hand writing he began to read:

-

_Dear Jack,_

_By the time you read this I'll be long gone, and if not then I'm not far away from passing. I've caught a virus, and the chemo has prevented my immune system to take control. _

_I love you Jack, and i can only hope that I can leave this world in total peace between us, I never ment to hurt you by not telling you about my past, I just wanted to forget about it and move on, so I blocked it out completely, and blocked it out from the people around me. I just hope that you can forgive me over time._

_I want to say thank you for being with me in the last few years of my life, it's made my life full of joy, I've never felt so loved by anyone in my life, and I want to thank you for loving and respecting me._

_I know that while I'm gone there will be plenty of other women that will see the amazing man you are Jack, and I want you too be happy, even if it's not with me. I know this might seem a little straight forward, but, I know you love Martha, not just as the mother of your child, but as a person. I don't want you to hold back, or feel bad about it, if your happy I will be too._

_Take care of yourself._

_Love from Serena_

_-_

When Jack finished reading the letter he folded it back up. His face had tears streaming down it, no matter what there would always be a place in his heart for Serena, there was no point in denying it, he just hoped that Martha could understand.

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"You ready?" Peter asked, pulling the keys out of the ignition after stopping the police car when they arrived at the crime scene in Greensville.

"Yeah" Lara sighed. Peter went to open his door, but then Lara stopped him, grabbing his arm, "listen, Peter about before, back at the station-"

"Can we talk about this later?" Peter snapped, giving Lara a moment of fright. "Look I'm sorry-".

"No Peter, it's fine, maybe it should just wait till later" Lara told him, getting out of the car quickly and out to some of the other's that were investigating the area. Peter felt like an idiot, carelessly he tossed his head back, banging it on the head rest and letting out a sigh of frustration before pulling himself back together and opening the car door to face what was in front of him.

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Back at the hospital Tony made his way down the hall and entered Serena's room where Beth, Maddie, Lucas and Martha were all surrounding Serena's bed. She lay there so still, too still. "oh my gosh" Tony let out, his eye's, like the other's in the room, began streaming with tears.

No one looked up at him, they all were lost, only half aware of what was going on around them, "you missed her by a few minutes" Martha told him, still lost in space, "she's gone".

No one knew what else to say, no one knew what to do, all that was going through their heads was the last words she'd said to each of them over the last few hours, she'd spoken to Tony before he left, and then when he was gone, she'd asked each of them to come into the room one by one.

-

BETH'S MEMORY

"You know my mum died when I was to young to remember, and as I was growing up I didn't think I'd ever love anyone the same as her, but then I met you. I love you the way I would of loved my mother if I'd met her".

-

MADDIE AND LUCAS' MOMORY

"Thank you for always being around for me, thank you for listening to me, for laughing with me and for crying with me. I don't think I could of ever asked for a better brother and sister in law".

-

TONY'S MEMORY

"I know that when I first came to Summer bay with Jack that I was a real mess, but you still made me feel welcome, and made me feel like I was part of the family, thank you."

-

MARTHA'S MEMORY

"It's no secret that we were never the best of friends when we first met Martha, but over time, you became my best friend, I know that we've both had our differences to sort out over the years, but, no matter what you'll always be like a sister to me. Thank you for accepting me for who I am and my past. Look after Jack for me".

-

"Sorry to interrupt" the nurse apologized, "but were going to have to take her away now" she explained, as other nurses came in and wheeled her bed out.

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"Peter come and take a look at this" Greg, one of the officers called out.

Peter approached him, he was standing next to Lara in the shed, he'd managed to avoid her since they had arrived right up until now, he felt orquad now that he was coming close to her, even though he wasn't looking directly at her, he could feel her eye's on him, they were haunting him, and he didn't know what to do, "so what have you found then?" Peter asked trying to keep his eyes away from Lara who had now turned around and pretended to look like she was searching for something, inside she was itching to turn around and shove Greg out of the way so that they could talk, but she couldn't let this get in the way of work.

"We've found out that Loyd was hiring some one else to kill Matt after he'd killed all the other people on his hit list" Greg explained to him, "does the name look familiar?" he asked handing the file to Peter.

"No, we'll have to do a background check, see if we can track him down" Peter told him, "how about you go and run that over to one of the computer guys now?"

"Yeah, ok" he agreed leaving Peter and Lara alone in the shed.

"Lara?" Peter started, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"What?" she replied bluntly, not even turning around to look at him.

"We need to talk".

Lara turned around and looked at him for a second, waiting for him to continue.

"Look, I'm confused" he said honestly.

"Are we still talking about the case, or something else?" she asked.

Peter paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath and moving a step closer to her, "I'm talking about you and me".

Lara nodded, "Look, I know things have been weird between us lately, but right now, we've got a job in front of us".

"Lara please, it can't wait" Peter begged her, almost sounding desperate.

"Peter, would you just stop, please!" Lara exclaimed, almost feeling the need to yell, she looked angry, making Peter's spine shiver. "It can wait" she simply said before storming out the door.

Peter raised his hand to his head, hitting himself in the center of his for head, he had the charms to swept a woman off her feet, just like his brother. But unlike Dan, he had a way of really annoying the heck out of women right after he had them under his spell, driving her away, 'maybe that's why I'm still single' he thought to himself.

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"Oh my gosh" Tash exclaimed, "she's dead?" Tash could feel her heart skipping a beat with fright.

"Yeah, she caught something" Robbie explained, sitting down on the couch at Irene's next to Tash.

"She caught something?"

"Yeah, it was the flew".

"But that means-" Tash started, but then covered her mouth when she realized, "she caught my flew, I killed her" she said out loud, her eye's beginning to swell up with tears.

"No Tash, the flew killed her" Robbie comforted her, wrapping a strong arm around her.

"Yeah, a flew that I gave to her" she sobbed, "this is all my fault".

_Author note: Well Serena's officially out of the picture now, so I hope everyone that hatted her with a passion is happy now. Please review and give me your opinion._


	23. Why?

_Chapter number 23. Why?_

"Why did this have to happen to her?" Martha finally said after sitting in silence for the last hour. The cup of coffee in her hands that she'd been stairing at had gone cold about half an hour ago. And there she sat in the Holden's lounge room with the other's all sitting in silence. It wasn't like a family gathering to be so quiet, the Holden's were one of the families who knew how to party better than anyone else. But now the place was full of grief, it felt like a ghost town, the people were dead spirited, coffee couldn't help any of them.

The only response Martha got to her question was a hug from Beth who was sitting next to her. She put down the mug in her hands and cried into her mother's shoulder, the world wasn't fair, it probably never would be, and right now she felt like every worst night mare was hitting her in the face.

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In the busy city street's of Sydney, a taxi pulled up in front of the airport. The door opened and a man stepped out; it was Serena's father. He showed little emotion's and his face looked stiff, like he was angry. He'd left the hospital as soon as he'd heard the news that his daughter had passed, and now he was trying with everything he had to block the pain away, shut himself down, and go on with normal life.

It was the same way he'd lost his wife, the same condition, the same complications and the same results, and now he was blaming himself. He'd lost his daughter long before today, it was something he didn't like to admit, but it was the truth, he'd blocked her out, doubted her, and left her when she needed him most. 'What kind of father does that make me?' he thought to himself, making his way through the airport doors, ready to return to Washington D.C to his cancer patients.

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"Why did you have to die?" Lara sobbed. She was sitting at the foot of a grave, the light was getting dimmer and dimmer, day was fading away. The head stone on the grave read 'Glen Fitzgerald, much loved husband and friend'. "Why did you have to go to work that night? Everything would have been ok if you'd just stayed at home" she continued, her husband Glen was a cop, just like her, he was working at the station at Reeften lakes the night he died, there'd been a phone call from a girl in fright who's boyfriend was threatening to kill her. So without any second thought Glen and his work partner made their way to the address, only to find themselves at the gun point of the crazed drug driven boyfriend, and he didn't hesitate to shoot.

Moment's of crying like this had been more and more fewer over the three years since his death, she'd adapted to everyday life again, she'd become stronger, but every now and then, some one would get close to her, someone who cared more for her than just a friend, and she'd fell that by giving in, she'd be dancing all over Glen's grave. He loved her, he'd told her that every day since he'd met her in high school. He would of wanted her to be happy, she knew that, but it still didn't make her feel any better.

She looked around her, it was getting darker, she'd be due back at the station soon, and there was no prizes for guessing who would be waiting there for her, just waiting to talk.

She pulled herself together, ready to face the world again, trying to keep calm and forget about the many things on her mind that were slowly driving her to insanity.

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In the shadows of the moon-lit sky, a figure dressed in black from head to toe quietly walked trough a patch of long grass in the middle of the bush. The area was surrounded by trees, tall tree's that stood still in the night's sky, haunting the place buy there leafless branches. The figure kept creeping along through the bush, the trees getting thicker and thicker as it got further and further into the darkness.

Then, there was a small wooden box shed, only a few meter's in length, with an old wooden door that looked like it had been pulled out of a junk yard. The door opened, creaking loudly from the rusty hinges, and the figure disappeared into the shed, closing the door behind them.

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Peter sat in his office tapping the end of his pen on the desk furiously, Lara was in his mind, driving him crazy. He kept remembering how angry she'd been at him that day, he'd just pushed it too far, and now he'd come to the realization that she didn't have the same feelings about him that he had about her.

His thought's were interrupted by a familiar voice entering the station. "Sorry I'm a bit late" he could hear Lara saying to the guy sitting at the front desk.

"That's fine, do you think you could go and give this to Peter, I think he's in his office" the guy asked, handing her a yellow paper folder will what looked like a million pages in it.

She staired at the folder for a minute, and the thought of Peter re entered her mind, "Um, ah, um, yeah, sure thing" she stuttered, finding herself reaching out for the folder and heading towards the door of Peter's office. 'Oh gosh Lara, why the flipping heck did you just to that?' she asked herself, feeling the need to use the thick folder as a weapon to hit herself over the head.

Peter could see a shadow through the paint covered glass in the window of the door, he knew who it was, then there was a small knock, it seemed almost like she was still trying to decided whether to come in or not. "Come in" Peter called.

The door opened slowly, and Lara took a step into the room, she didn't even look at him in the eye, she just lent forward and dropped the file on the edge of the desk.

"Lara, please, just-" Peter tried to get out, but before he could say anything else the door closed and Lara was gone.

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Down the corridor of the station, past the interview rooms, Lara made her way into her office. Half of her hated herself for leaving Peter like that, but the other half didn't want to talk, so that's why she had done what she'd done. She sat herself down, taking a look at the piles of work on her desk and sighed.

The door opened and there stood Peter, "Lara please just hear me out".

Lara nodded, giving in, "Ok, come in" she said softly, she was going to have to talk sooner or later, and she seemed to get the idea that he wasn't taking no for an answer.

_Author note: I've been noticing while reading through the last few chapter's that everyone in this story seems to be pretty depressed at the moment, I'll try to make something happy happen soon. Please review._


	24. The final goodbye

_Chapter number 24. The final goodbye_

"Lara about today, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you get upset" Peter apologized.

"No, I'm sorry, you were right, it can't wait, when stuff like that comes up, it's hard to keep working while your thinking about something else" Lara said honestly.

"Yeah tell me about it" Peter replied, a smile came to his face, a few minutes ago he thought that he wouldn't be getting the chance to talk to her without one of them getting cranky, and there they both were, smiling at each other, it was a second that seemed to last forever, he looked into her eyes, they were beautiful to him, just like her smile, just like everything about her.

"Look, Peter, I'm going to have to be honest with you". She started, pulling her gaze away from his. "This morning before we left to go to Greensville, there was a bit of a-, well".

"A spark?"

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that" she told him looking down at her hands.

Peter reached out his hand and gently guided her chin up, "I felt it too" he admitted, "and you've been driving me crazy ever since".

"Peter" Lara spoke, pulling her head back slightly to separate his hand and her chin. "I'll admit that there was something there, and yes, I can't stop thinking about you, but-".

"There's someone else isn't there?" Peter jumped to conclusion, sounding disappointed.

"No" Lara shot out, "yes and no".

"What do you mean?"

"You remember Glen don't you?"

"Yeah, of course I do, he was a very highly respected cop".

"Ever since-, ever since he died, I just-, I feel like when ever I get close to another man, like I'm dancing allover his grave".

"Oh, I see" Peter said, putting his arm around her.

"And I know, I know he would of wanted me to be happy, but it's just-".

"You still feel like your letting him down" Peter added.

"Yeah. But that doesn't mean that I want to forget about what's been happening between us, the truth is I'm falling in love with you. Are you willing to wait just a little while for me?"

Peter nodded, with an understanding smile on his face, "I think I can manage that".

"Good cause I'd hate to see you leave like that" she smiled back at him.

"As if I'd do that to you" he said lovingly rubbing his hand up her back and giving her a quick kiss on the fore head. "Looks like you've got a lot of work to do, I'll leave you too it".

"Ok, catch up with you later then?" she asked as he neared the door.

"Of course, you can bet on it" he replied giving her a promising smile before leaving.

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At the Macklin's mansion in Sydney, Martha drove into the driveway and got out of her car, she slammed the door and made her way up the drive way. Rose and Boyd would be inside waiting for her with Dylan. She's called earlier to tell them the news about Serena, Dylan wouldn't know though, it was something Martha had to tell him herself, she could only imagine the sadness of the little boy, and it hurt her to know that her little boy was going to have to go through all the sadness at his young age.

She opened the door slowly and put her bag on the small table up against the wall in the entry way of the house. Then, taking a deep breath and pulling herself together, she walked up the stairs to where she could hear the sound of Dylan playing with his cars.

"Mummy come play with me" Dylan smiled at his mum as she came into the lounge room.

"Sweet heart, not now" Martha started, taking a seat on the couch, "come and sit next to mummy" she instructed, patting the spot on the couch next to her.

"What's wrong mummy, you don't look very happy" Dylan asked, he might have been only four, but he knew that something wasn't right.

Martha pulled Dylan onto her lap and just looked at him for a second, "I went to go see Aunty Serena today".

"Really? Is she beating the big bad wukemia monster?"

"No sweety, she's gone to a better place where there's no more hospital's, and no more Leukemia monster's to hurt her" she spoke softly holding him in her arms.

Dylan looked sad, his eyes were watery and his face looked disappointed, "But Aunty Renie promised me she'd beat bad Mr wukemia, and her friend Chemo was going to help" he cried.

"I know sweety, I know" she whispered, holding him close, "I know".

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At the shed in the bush of Greensville, the same figure dressed in black appeared from in the bushes only seconds after the last police car was out of sight. They made there way towards the shed, in there hand was a piece of white paper. The figure opened the door and slipped inside, pulling off the black hood of the jumper, revealing there face, it was a female, her hair covered by her black beanie. She placed the piece of paper down on one of the tables that had nothing on it from being cleared by the police earlier, then made her way out not disturbing a thing, the quest wasn't over yet. Not until the biggest secret of all was revealed.

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"Good morning" Rose greeted Martha as she stumbled her way into the kitchen the next morning, "how are you holding up?"

"I've been better" she sighed, "I'm just so worried about Dylan, last night he came in and snuggled up with me, and just cried himself to sleep".

"Poor little guy".

"Yeah, his not taking it well at all".

"Well can you blame him, I don't think anyone's taking it well, especially you, you can't keep holding it all in the way you've been since you came home last night" Rose told her.

"I'm just trying to stay strong for Dylan's sake, I am dealing with it, I promise".

"Ok, but if your not then-"

"I know, I'll ask for help, but for now could we just drop it please!"

"Yeah sure. Anyway so what are you up too today then?" Rose asked, changing the subject.

"Well I was thinking of going and seeing Jack today".

"Well how about me and Boyd take Dylan with us too the park with Izzy today, maybe it will take his mind off things".

"Yeah, I'm sure he'd love that".

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A week passed and things didn't get much better for anyone. Martha had gone to see Jack, he didn't talk much, nether of them did. Dylan hadn't felt like doing much all week, his little four year old mind didn't know what to do. The police hadn't been back to the shed in Greenville yet, they were still going through the stuff they'd already taken. As for Lara and Peter, they were still just friends, very good friends, they'd even had other work mates comment on how close they seemed to be, Peter just smiled and shrugged it off, he would of loved to tell them that they were more than just friends, but he kept his mouth shut for Lara's sake.

Today was Serena's funeral, every one gathered at Stuarts point for the service, even Jack who had talked the guards into taking him.

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"Get out of the car" the guard ordered opening the door of the police car where they were parked in the car park across the road from the grave yard where his wife had just been berried. "Move it Holden!" the other guard commanded him, grabbing the small chain that attached his hand cuffs together and pulling him out of the car, there were four guards escorting him, two in front of him and two behind him, acting as walls to stop him from escaping.

Jack looked around him, he hadn't seen anything of Summer bay since he was put in jail one and a half years ago, and now it looked more beautiful than ever. He'd taken this place for granted before he was taken away, and he vowed that when he got out, he'd never be unthankful for anything.

"This way" the guard instructed him as they neared the church, he was then seated at the very back of the church, up the front, he could see his family and friends all dressed in black, seeming sad and depressed. He wished more than anything that he could be with them right now, but they guards would never allow it.

"We have come here today to say a final goodbye to Serena Holden" the priest at the front of the church began.

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Just as the service was finishing, Jack was taken outside and the guards lead him across the road so he could watch his wife's grave being taken away from a distance, he wasn't allowed to attend the wake, the prison wouldn't allow it, he wasn't even to be close to any of the other's. And so he watched as Serena's coffin was carried out of the church by Lucas, Tony, Boyd and Peter, until it was out of sight, then without any second thought the guards pushed him back in the car, locked the doors and drove off back to the prison.

_Please review._


	25. Moving on

_Chapter number 25. Moving on_

"Maddie" Tony called out from the front door as he sorted through the mail.

"Yeah?" Maddie's sad voice called back from the upstairs lounge room. Tony started making his way up the stairs.

"The bridal magazine came in for you" he explained to her, putting the large package envelop down on the table in front of her.

Maddie just staired at it, she hadn't thought about her wedding much lately, "she was supposed to help me choose my dress" she finally spoke, tears coming back to her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey" Tony comforted her, sitting next to her and giving her a big hug.

"She was so happy about the whole thing. I think she was more excited than I was when she first heard" she continued.

"And I'm sure that right now she's sitting up in heaven waiting to watch you and Luc get married".

"Yeah I guess so, I never thought of it that way" she sobbed.

"Look I know things suck right now, but there will be happy times to come, and lots of things to look forward too" Tony encouraged her. "Like your wedding".

Maddie nodded, smiling for a second, and then reaching for the unopened envelope. "This is the start of a new beginning".

"Yeah of course it is. In six months, you'll legally be a Holden".

"Yeap" she replied reaching to the shelf under the coffee table and pulling out the bridal magazine that had come in about three weeks ago.

"Wow your finally looking at it" Tony teased. Since it came in she hadn't touched it once.

"Yeah the thing I don't get it why it's already been opened, I mean who else would have been going through it?"

"I don't know" Tony answered as she began flicking through the pages with tears still running down her face. "Look Maddie are you sure your in any state to be thinking about dresses at the moment?" he asked, seeing how cut up she was, and now she was using work as a way to take her mind off things.

Maddie paused for a moment and a smile came to her face, "she did help he pick my dress" she whispered.

"What? Come on Maddie lets just put the magazine down-"

"No, no, no" Maddie managed to get out, "If you think I'm trying to burden myself with work, I'm not".

"You sure?"

"Yes, I know things suck, but you were right, we have to think about things to look forward too, and this is something that Serena was really looking forward too, you remember how excited she was?"

"Yeah".

"And this just shows it" Maddie told him holding up the bridal magazine with a dress that had been circled, "she must of opened it while she was here for a day and a half before she was taken back to the hospital, it's perfect".

Tony smiled, "I guess so. And it looks like something she'd pick too".

"Exactly" Maddie added, before turning the page, "that must have been the brides maid dress she wanted" Maddie commented, her voice starting to sound sad again. Tony, not knowing what else to do, put his arm around her, "I wish she could still be here".

"Yeah we all do" he whispered, "we all do".

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"How are you feeling today?" Martha asked as she entered the room Jack was in.

"Honestly not to good" he replied in a gloomy voice.

"Yeah, there's a lot of that going around at the moment" she told him, pulling up a chair and sitting down in front of him.

"So how's Dylan going?"

"Not too good, he missed his Aunty Renie".

"Yeah, poor little guy, it must be hard for him".

"Yeah, just like it must be hard for you too" Martha added, "Jack there's no point in avoiding it, I know you loved her a lot".

Jack just nodded seeming uncomfortable.

"Look Jack, please don't".

"Don't what?" he asked.

"Please don't feel bad, it's ok to be upset".

"Yeah, I know, but I just feel bad about-" Jack started, but stopped when he realized what he was about to say.

"About what?"

"Look, it doesn't matter" Jack shot out.

"Yes it does, what do you feel bad about?"

Jack let out a deep breath, "about loving two different girls" he admitted.

"Is this why you've hardly mentioned her to me, because you thought it was wrong?"

"Yeah".

"Jack, it's ok. Well unless this other girl is someone other than Serena that is?"

"No of course not".

"Well it's ok then, you were married to her for like what, three, almost four years, I know there will always be a part of her with you".

Jack reached out for Martha's hand, gently lifting it and planting a soft kiss on the back of her palm, "Thank you" he whispered.

"For what?"

"For understanding. You know you'll always be my favorite traffic offender".

Martha laughed at those words, "I can't remember the last time you called me a traffic offender, it was a long time ago".

"Yeah it was" Jack smiled, "before everything got complicated" he sighed.

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"Hey do you think you could send some of the other's down to the shed in Greensville for me?" Peter asked Lara as he stepped behind the front desk at the Yabbie creek police station.

"Yeah sure".

"Thanks I'm just heading off, we've had a call for a noise complaint" Peter told her.

"Well good luck with that then" Lara said before he walked out the door.

"Lara?" one of the other female officers called.

"Yeah Jackie?"

"This needs to go to HQ" she said handing her a yellow paper folder.

"Yeap sure".

"So, what's going on between you and the boss then?"

"What?"

"Oh come on Lara, you and Peter, there's something going on, it's dead obvious" Jackie continued, she always had to know all the gossip that went on in the office, Lara wouldn't be surprised if she started her own gossip collum.

"Why do you say that?" Lara asked, seeming amused by her comment as she turned around to put the file in one of the filling cabinets.

"Everything, the way you two have been acting around each other, the way he looks at you when your not looking-".

"Wow, hang on a second, he looks at me like that?"

"Yeah. You sound like you've got the hots for him too".

"Well..."

"I thought so, so why don't you too just hook up then?" Jackie asked, almost like she was making things sound easy.

"It's complicated, it just-"

"Glen?"

"Yeah".

"Well he would of wanted you too be happy".

"I know".

"Then what the hell are you waiting for girl?"

Lara paused for a second, and a puzzled look came across her face, "You know what, I don't have a clue".

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"So did you see Tash today?" Tony asked Beth as he watched her make lunch at the kitchen bench.

"Yeah, she's still blaming herself" Beth explained as she spread butter on the bread.

"Poor girl" Tony sighed, "it's not even her fault, she didn't know she was sick until she left".

"Yeah, she'll realize that eventually, she was like this after Sarah killed Noah too, she kept thinking it was her fault that Sarah was able to get her hands on a gun" she continued, "anyway how's Maddie been this morning, I didn't get a chance to see her before I left".

"Actually she's pretty good, she's found a way to come to terms with things".

"Really, how might that be?"

"It's a long story involving a bridal magazine and a few things Serena circled while she was here for a couple of days".

"Interesting" Beth answered sounding a little confused, "oh well I guess everyone's got a different way of coping don't they".

"Yeah, how about you, how are you coping?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah, honestly".

"Well, I keep trying to convince myself that she's in a better place now, and that she won't have to deal with being in hospital or having needles and blood tests all the time, but i can't help but wish she was still with us".

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Thing's will get better".

"I know, but it's just going to take time".

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"Peter" Greg, called out as soon as he and one of the other's entered the station.

"Yeah, you found anything?"

"Yeah I guess you could say that".

"What do you mean?" Peter asked, all of a sudden sounding more interested.

"You remember how we completely cleared one of the tables in there?"

"Yeah".

"Well we found this on it" he explained handing a piece of paper to Peter.

"Ok, well someone's obviously been in there" Peter started, looking at the piece of paper Greg had handed him, it was a map, with and X marks the spot, and down the bottom was a sentence that confused Peter, 'This is were Loyd's quest really begins'.

"Yeah but who?"

"I don't know, who ever they are they don't like coming here and telling everything to us face to face".

"What are you saying?"

"He, or she ether has something to hide, or there being blackmailed by someone who has something to do with Loyd" Peter explained.

"If they were being blackmailed then why would they say anything at all?"

"Well they might be trying to turn them in without them knowing. Look, I'll get Lara and go and check out where this goes too before we decide on what were dealing with ok".

"Yes boss".

_Please review. I'll continue after I get 2 reviews._


	26. Your special guardian angle

_Chapter number 26. Your special guardian angle._

"So basically some psycho's leading us on a never ending mind game" Lara concluded after Peter explained the map Greg had found.

"Well no, I mean look at what we found last time we followed this person's instructions".

"Peter, your a detective do the maths, people don't just play mind games to tell us about crime, they come into the station and make an allegation".

"Yeah, but we don't know the circumstances of whoever is sending these to us, do we?"

"No, but that doesn't mean that it's not a hoax, how do we know that this isn't a distraction from something else that going on?"

"We don't, Lara could we please just go to this place before we start making presumptions?"

"Alright" she gave in, still not sounding to happy, "but your driving this time".

"Fine".

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"Did you do as I asked?" a man's voice asked in the darkness of a cellar.

"Of course, they'll know all the secrets in good time, and then, the time will be right and you and I can be looked up too again" the other voice , a woman's voice, explained, sounding excited.

"Yes, just like the good old times before I was wrongly accused" the man's voice added, "and she'll be mine again, just like she was supposed to be, before he got involved...".

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"Another shed what a surprise" Lara commented sarcastically as Peter pulled up in front of the small wooden box-like shed in the middle of nowhere.

"Well they certainly have a theme going on" Peter grumbled as he got out.

"Yeah, lets hope that this time it's the last destination".

"Yeah, that would be good" Peter said before opening the door and stepping in with Lara right behind him.

"So this was Loyd's quest then was it? Nothing" Lara sighed as she looked around the bare shed.

"I guess so, maybe he wasn't the mysterious guy we thought he was".

"A whole town looked up too him" Lara continued, shanking her head, "and all his quest lead to was a dead end".

"Yeah, pretty tragic if you ask me".

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"Sweetheart" Martha called out through the halls of the Macklin's mansion in Sydney, "Dylan?" she continued as she reached the doorway of Dylan's room to see him sitting on his bed looking dully at the floor, "Dylan sweety you want to come down to the park with Uncle Boyd and Aunty Rose?"

Dylan shock his head.

"Come on you can't just sit here forever" she encouraged him, moving towards him and sitting down next to him. "You know what?"

"What?"

"Aunty Serena's probably sitting up on a cloud right now, just waiting to see you beat your Uncle Boyd in a game of soccer".

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course she is" Martha told him running her fingers through his hair.

"Like a guardian angle?"

"Yes, just like a guardian angle, a very special guardian angel and she's always going to look over you, always" she whispered. "So how about you show her how good you are hey?"

Dylan nodded, seeming a bit happier now, "Ok".

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Peter sat at his desk, his shift was finishing soon and he was itching to get home, then the words 'you've got mail' popped up on the screen.

The message contained only one line, 'Try again detective, you might have more luck this time', reading those words Peter instantly thought of the empty shed he and Lara had been to that day, so he grabbed his keys and went to leave.

"Peter, we need you in here now" Greg called out from one of the interview rooms.

"Can it wait?"

"No, it can't, but I promise you your definitely going to like this" Greg told him.

Peter gave in and walked into the room, his eyes came across a familiar face, "Well, well, well, Matt Wilson, nice of you to join us".

_I'll continue when I've got 2 reviews._


	27. I'm sick of waiting

_Chapter number 27. I'm sick of waiting_

"For the last time, I haven't done anything against the law in the last year!" Matt explained one again like he had been for the last hour of sitting in the interview room of the Yabbie Creek police station. "I'll admit to the other stuff, before I ran off, but I didn't lead you all on a wild goose chase to Greenville with a dead end".

Peter puffed looking over at Greg who had definitely had enough of going over the same thing over and over again, "well were obviously not getting anywhere" he said, then reached out to press the button on the recorder.

"So can I go now?" Matt asked, seeming restless.

"No, you'll be staying in the detention center down the road until a court can hear your case" Peter explained as he stood up and moved from behind the desk, "I'll send a lawyer to see you tomorrow" he informed Matt who was being re handcuffed by Greg.

"But-"

"Just do as your told Wilson" Greg warned him before dragging him out of the station.

"Wow I never thought I'd see him again, why didn't some one tell me he'd been caught?" Lara asked after watching Matt being dragged out, from behind the front desk.

"We didn't want you to worry" Peter explained.

"Worry? Are you kidding me, it's great that he's finally behind bars".

"Really?"

"Yes, definitely".

"Good, I was wondering how I was going to tell you, I didn't think you'd take it well".

"And whys that?"

"Well he's your brother".

"Yeah, and he signed papers to kill me, as far as I'm concerned I'm not related to him" Lara told him, "I'm just happy he's finally getting what he deserves" she smiled, by now both her and Peter had moved closer. "I had a really interesting conversation with Jackie today" Lara told him, changing the subject.

"Really, now what's she gossiping about now? Wait no, let me guess... Alf and Colleen are supposedly together".

Lara couldn't help but laugh at him, "no".

"Well what was it then?"

"Well it was more being nosie than gossiping, she was actually asking about us".

"There's been a lot of people asking about us" Peter commented.

"Yeah, but this time it was different, we started talking about Glen and how he would of wanted me to be happy, and then she asked me what was stopping me" Lara explained, "and I I didn't have a clue".

"So what are you trying to say then?"

Lara didn't answer straight away, she could feel herself coming towards him, and her arms fell loosely around his neck. Then, she smiled at him, looked into his eyes and said the words he'd been waiting to hear her say for what seemed like forever, "I'm sick for waiting Peter". And with that she moved right into him, there bodies so close that no air separated them, her lips met his and she didn't pull away, nether of them did.

Peter ran his hands up and down Lara's back, pulling her into him. He could hear her heart racing, just like his, her fingers had now moved from his neck to his head, running through his short hair. Any memory of going back to the old shed were long gone now.

Lara felt like the luckiest woman in the world, every part of her was smiling, and now she wondered why she'd waited so long for this, he'd been there for her through everything, and all she'd done was try and keep her hands off him, and now, she found that impossible to do, even though anybody could walk in and see them, she didn't care.

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"Hey did you guys have fun?" Martha smiled as she saw Dylan and Boyd come in followed by Rose pushing Izzy in the pram.

"Yes!" Dylan exclaimed, "I beat Uncle Boyd" he told her proudly with the biggest smile on his face, "do you think Aunty Renie saw me?"

"Of course she did, and I'm sure she's very proud" Martha told, giving him a big hug, "she'll always be proud of you no matter what, and so will I" she whispered, "always".

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Back at the station, Jackie made her way in, ready to start her night shift, and then her eyes came across something very out of the ordinary, she didn't believe her eye's, Peter and Lara were-, "oh my gosh, it's true" she whispered to herself seeing Peter and Lara making out on the middle of the station, and they looked very cosy indeed. Trying not to interrupt she went to walk into one of the offices, but managed to drop her bag which was so full it made a thump when it hit the ground. Peter and Lara pulled away with a scare, Lara jumping and grabbing Peter.

"Um sorry" Jackie managed to get out, stumbling on her words.

"It's ok" Peter spat out.

"Um, u, maybe, maybe you should take it that way" Jackie said uncomfortably, pointing to the door, "both your shifts are over".

"Um, yeah, we might just do that" Lara said grabbing Peter's hand and pulling him out of the station.

"Well I thought they'd never leave" Greg commented as he came out of the hallway after Peter and Lara had left.

"Yeah, you saw it too?"

"Yeap, I was lucky to get passed quietly".

"I didn't quite managed to do that, silly me managed to drop my fifty pound bag on the floor".

"Fifty pounds? What the heck have you got in there?" Greg asked looking curious.

"I don't have a clue, everytime I put something in there it never seems to come out" she explained while opening her bag and taking a look at what was inside.

"Really, maybe you should try emptying it some time. Oh well it's about time Peter and Lara got there act's together".

"You got that right" Jackie laughed, "definitely about time. Oh my gosh, I just had the most brilliant idea".

"What?"

"You know how everyone keep joking around and saying that one day I'll gossip so much that I'll start my own collum?"

"Yeah".

"Well maybe I should" she smiled pulling out her digital camera from her bag. "And I know the perfect story to start it all".

"Peter and Lara?"

"Yeah".

"And what the heck have you got a digital camera in your bag for?"

"Oh it's still in there from my brother's wedding a while ago, but now all I have to do it get a picture of Pete and Lara".

"What?"

"For the collum" she told him, making it look as if it had been obvious.

"Well good luck with that" Greg said sarcastically, "I'm off".

"Ok"

"Oh and Jackie?"

"What?"

"Try and get some real work done" he told her before leaving.

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"So were do we go now detective?" Lara asked, putting on an irresistible smile. As they reached Peter's car in the car park in front of the station.

"Well" Peter started, wrapping his arms around Lara's waist, "What do you say to a picnic dinner under the stars on the beach?"

"I'd say it sounds beautiful" she said, giving him another kiss and stopping him from saying what ever he was about to say.

_Author note: Hope everyone liked that chapter, please review, I will continue when I've got two or more people reviewing._


	28. Goodbye to the gossip queen

_Chapter number 28. Goodbye to the gossip queen._

The moon shine brightly through the sky along the beach, surrounded by millions of little sparkling stars, it was a spectacular night, there was a nice cool breeze and the beach was empty, except two love struck residence, enjoying the night; Lara and Peter.

"It's so beautiful out here at night" Lara smiled contently, resting her head gently on Peter's shoulder.

"Not as beautiful as you" he whispered softly in her ear.

"That sounds so cheesy" Lara giggled happily, lifting her head up so that she could see Peter's face, "but I love it anyway" she whispered him, gazing into his eyes, "I love everything about you".

Peter smiled happily at her and decreased the space separating them, leaning in and planing a soft kiss on her lips, but before he pulled away, Lara pulled him right in and their bodies moved in one motion to the ground so that they were lying side by side on the picnic rug.

Peter moved his face away slightly so that he could look into her eye's, and one hand reached from it's place around her waist to move a piece of hair back behind her ear. "I love you" he spoke softly.

"I love you too".

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"Wow, I haven't seen any of this in ages" Martha exclaimed when Boyd lifted the lid of a large box that had been dragged out of the basement of the house, in the box were loads of photo's in photo frames.

"Who's that?" Boyd asked, sitting down on the couch next to Martha as she pulled a frame out and looked at it.

"That's my cousin Ric and his wife Cassie" Martha explained, "They used to live in Summer Bay when I did, but they moved to Perth just after I left Sasha's. The last I heard of them was a few years ago when I got a phone call from Cassie saying she was pregnant".

"I never knew you had a cousin".

"Well there's probably a lot of other people's photo's in this box that you wouldn't know" she said, pulling out another one from the box. "That's Sally, she's Ric and Cassie's foster mum, and that's little Pippa. They moved with Cassie and Ric, along with Sally's boyfriend Brad. Oh and there's Kim and Rachael I think they moved to New York. There's Leah and Dan, they still live around in Summer Bay" she continued going on as she pulled more and more photo's out, "that's my granddad Alf and Auntie Morag, you remember meeting them don't you?".

"Yeah, what happened to them?"

"They went to a retirement village in Yabbie creek, I was talking to Leah yesterday, and she was saying Colleen's going there today".

"Really, well at least she'll be doing less gossiping then".

"I doubt it, nothing could stop that woman form sticking her nose in everything" Martha sighed. "Aww look at this one" she changed the subject, pulling out the group photo that was taken at Alf's sixtyth birthday party, "I was only eighteen then".

"Wow, that was a long time ago".

"Hey" Martha exclaimed, playfully hitting him, "I'm not that old, I'm only twenty six!"

"Yeah sorry" he laughed in amusement of her reaction.

"Anyway I better go back upstairs and put Dylan to bed, it's late already".

"Yeah that's probably a good idea, we all know how grumpy he can be when he hasn't had enough sleep".

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"Hello, haven't seen you in a long time" Rose said cheerfully as she pushed Izzy's pram through the door of Jack's cell the next morning.

"Hey, how are you?" Jack smiled, seeming surprised that Rose had come to see him.

"I'm alright, how about you?"

"I've been better, just taking one day at a time" Jack explained as Rose took a seat in front of him on the opposite side of the bars. "I'm guessing this is Izzy then?" Jack asked looking at the pram that sat next to Rose.

"Yeah, it is" Rose told him, pulling little Izzy out of he pram and sitting her on her lap, "Izzy say hello to Uncle Jack".

Jack chuckled, "hey little one".

"Anyway, so are you going to tell me how your really feeling?" Rose asked, putting Izzy back in her pram.

"You know me too well".

"Yeah, I do, which is why your going to tell me everything" she nodded convincingly.

"Alright, you win, but promise me you won't repeat any of this".

"You've got my word" she promised.

"It's about Martha".

"Ok".

"Well... and Serena".

"Oh I see, let me guess, you love them both?"

"Yeah, I know that Martha's fine with me still having a place in my heart for Serena, but I just-".

"Look Jack, the girl only died just over a week ago, no one's expecting you to move on straight away".

"Yeah I know" he sighed.

"Just give it time, things will work themselves out eventually, you'll see" Rose encouraged him.

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"I got it" Jackie exclaimed walking towards the front desk of the police station, flicking through the settings on her digital camera.

"Your crazy" Greg said in disbelief.

"I know".

"So did they see you?"

"Nope, I got it when they came through a minute ago, they were totally oblivious to everything. Now all I have to do is put it in the collum".

"And what exactly do you plan on doing with this collum?" Greg asked, lifting one eyebrow in curiosity.

"I'll put it on the notice boards around the station, just think everyone will know what's going on around this place".

"Yeah, great" he said sarcastically. "Anyway shouldn't you be going, your shifts finished".

"Yeah, soon, after I print this off and put it on the notice board" she said, making her way back to her desk in the room.

"Oh brother" Greg mumbled to himself so that Jackie couldn't hear.

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At the Holden's house everyone was in the lounge room when Beth walked in. "Hey were have you been?" Tony asked.

"Oh, I just went and saw Colleen before she took off for the retirement village".

"So she's really going this time?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah well it seems that way, I don't think she particularly wants to leave, but Leah has convinced her that it's for her own good" Beth explained.

"It's going to be very different without her around" Lucas sighed.

"Yeah it is" Tony added, "when is she leaving?"

"Well" Beth started, looking at her watch, "It should be about now actually".

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"Is that the last one?" Leah asked as she lifted up Colleen's suit case that had been sitting on the step of her caravan.

"Yeah, I think so" Colleen said sadly.

"Come on Colleen, it's going to be great, you'll see all the bowls ladies again, and you'll meet lots of new people" Leah encouraged her.

Colleen sighed, "yeah I guess so pet, it's just a big change thats all".

"Yeah it is, but I'm sure your going to love it, and if you really feel home sick then I'm sure everybody would love a visit from you, and we'll pop round and see you sometimes".

"That would be lovely" Colleen smiled, grabbing her walking stick and hobbling her way to the passengers side of the car, "Well I guess this is it then".

"Yeah, but I'm sure when we get there, your not going to miss it at all".

"Goodbye old home" Colleen whispered before hopping in the car.

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"Well what do we have here?" Peter said out loud as he noticed a picture of him and Lara on the notice board.

"That would be Jackie's new gossip collum" Greg told him as he walked past.

"Well it's actually quite a nice picture" Peter commented, "hey Lara" he called.

"Yeah", she called back walking out of another room.

"Come take a look at this" he said pointing to the piece of paper on the board.

"Jackie's gossip collum" she said out loud as she read it, "Aww look at us there".

"Yeah, it's a nice picture, I'd just like to know how she got it".

"Does it really matter Pete?"

"Well I guess not" he said, kissing Lara on the cheek, "Now the whole world will know that your mine" he smiled.

_I'll continue when I've got two or more reviews._


	29. Second thoughts

_Just a warning to those that didn't read the two stories before this, this chapter has references to the first story 'Some life for a Princess'. Maddie was engaged to Jack and Lucas' cousin Taylor who died the day before they were supposed to get married from a heart attack. Anyway, here's the chapter._

_Chapter number 29. Second thoughts_

_A month later..._

"It's here!" Beth yelled in excitement as she brought Maddie's wedding dress through the door with a protecting cover over the top of it.

"Give us a look" Lucas begged turning his attention to the front door.

"No, you can't see it till the big day, it's bad luck" Beth warned him.

Lucas turned back to the television and sighed, "oh well I'm sure it's beautiful".

"Yes it is" Beth told him, then walked up the stairs. "Maddie".

"Yeah mum" Maddie's voice called out from her room.

"Oh there you are sweet" Beth said, making her way into the room, "your dress just arrived".

"Oh thanks".

"Aren't you going to try it on?"

"Yeah, soon, I've just got a few things I have to do first".

"I thought you would be itching to try it on, you aren't having second thoughts are you? Cause if you are-".

"No mum, I'm fine, I'm just pretty busy at the moment" Maddie told her, faking a smile.

"Ok, but when you put it on, give me a yell ok?"

"Yeah, ok" Maddie agreed as her mum left the room.

She looked over at the dress laid out on the bed next to her, tears formed in her eyes, all she could think of right now is what would happen if history repeated itself, if she lost Lucas the way she lost Taylor.

_------------------------------------------------_

Peter staired at the screen of his computer, he had another new message, from the same sender as the last creepy short email he got a month ago, 'time's ticking detective, I'm getting impatient'.

"Hey these came in for you" Lara said cheerfully as she came into Peter's office.

"Oh thanks, I'll look at them in a minute" Peter answered seeming on edge.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing" he shot out.

"Peter spit it out, you only act like this when your hiding something".

"Alright, I'll spit it out then" he sighed, "You remember that she we went to about a month ago, the one with the dead end?"

"Yeah".

"Well that afternoon I got this weird message from some unknown sender".

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Well, I was going to go back down myself, but then Greg called me in to the interview room to interview Matt and I just forgot all about it, until I got another one just then".

"Were they both about the shed?" Lara asked.

"I don't know, but by the way they talk I think it is. Lara, do you think there's a possibility that someone's put something in there now and is trying to get us to find it?"

"I guess so, how about you and me go for a little drive then?" Lara suggested, leaning over Peter's shoulder and kissing him on the cheek, your never going to know until you see for yourself".

"Yeah sounds good" he replied before getting up and taking her hand in his.

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"Maddie" Lucas said happily as he opened the door to their bedroom, but his tone soon changed when he saw the tears running down her face, "Maddie what's wrong?"

"I can't do it" she sobbed as Lucas sat down next to her and wrapped his arm gently around her.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't get married, what if it happens again".

"Shh, Maddie" he tried to calm her, "what if what happens again?"

"What if you die and leave me right before the wedding".

"Like Taylor?"

"Yeah-"

"Maddie, I'm not going anywhere, I love you and your stuck with me for life" he told her soothingly.

"You can't be sure of that, you don't know when or how your going to die".

"Hey, hey, hey, Taylor died because he had a serious heart condition, he was never going to live long enough to see his old age, we all knew that, and so did he, but he never left you by choice".

Maddie bit her bottom lip to try and stop her self from continuing crying, "yeah I know" she nodded quietly.

"I love you, you know that don't you?"

"Yeah, of course".

"And if you don't want to get married then I'm prepared to respect that".

"Look Lucas, it's not that I don't want to marry you, I really do, but-".

"Well marry me now then" Lucas shot out.

"What?"

"Maybe I should do this properly" Lucas said, getting down on one knee in front of her and taking her hands in his, "Matilda will you come down to the registry office now and become my wife?"

"Are you serious?"

"You better believe it. So you want to do this or not?"

"Yes" she smiled, "yes" she repeated a little louder, leaning forward and giving him a hug.

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"Here we are" Lara announced as she stopped the car at their destination, "you ready?"

"I most certainly am" Peter replied, opening the door and hopping out. "So what's the bet that this leads once again to the middle of no where?"

"Or that it might actually be something this time" Lara added.

"Oh don't tell me you actually think there's something in that old termite house".

"Well I'm just saying".

"Oh well there's only one way to find out, would you like to do the honour?" Peter asked, being a gentlemen and moving aside so that Lara could get to the door.

"Certainly" Lara replied, reaching for the handle and opening the door. "Oh my gosh" Lara said in shock with her jaw dropped.

"You don't really think that trick's going to work do you?"

"No, no, Peter just take a look at this" she told him, stepping backwards, seeming scared.

"Nice acting Lara" Peter laughed, stepping to the door and turning his head to take a look. Inside was a body tied up in the corner, that face could be recognized anywhere.

Without a second thought Peter pulled his gun out, and with all seriousness he looked around to Lara who was behind him, scared as a mouse, "honey, get the handcuffs out of the car".

_I'll continue after I get two or more reviews._


	30. He lives and breathes

_Chapter number 30. He lives and breathes!_

"I can't believe this" Lara shock her head as Peter came into her office behind her and closed the door. She was still in shock, who they'd found in the shed was still trying to process in her mind, she just couldn't believe it.

"Nether can I. All I can think about is how stupid it was of me to forget about the first email like that, if I'd gone down there when I got it this would have been over sooner" Peter said, taking a seat.

"Peter it wasn't your fault, you didn't mean for this to happen, none of us did" Lara told him sitting on his lap and putting her arm over his shoulders.

"Thanks" Peter said softly, trying to smile, "I just can't believe he's still alive, I mean, he was dead, well at least we all thought so".

"Yeah, and poor Jack".

"Mmm, yeah, he's been sitting in jail for the last couple of years because that idiot decided that instead of getting better like most other normal people, he was going to hide away and make Jack go to jail for his supposed murder".

"Wait hang on Peter, we don't know that he was hiding away-".

"Yes we do, he was supposedly dead Lara".

"Hang on, calm down, what I ment was that how do we know that he wasn't being held against his will, this is Sean Loyd were talking about, he's smart enough to keep away from the cops, I doubt he'd go tieing himself up in a shed".

"Or the other possibility is that it's not really Sean, like that guy in Greensville told you, he's got a lot of wanna-be's" Peter added, running his hand up and down Lara's back.

"Yeah, I guess well know soon enough though".

Peter just nodded and pulled Lara closer to him, wrapping both arms around her, this case was really messing with his head.

"Knock, knock".

"Come in" Lara called out.

"We just got word back from the diggers" Greg explained as he stuck his head through the door, "and Loyd's grave is empty".

"Thank you" Peter thanked him, trying to sound remotely happy.

"This really can't be happening" Lara sighed after Greg shut the door.

"Yeah I know exactly what you mean".

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"You ready to go?" Maddie asked, popping her head around the door of the bathroom where Lucas was standing in a suit.

"Yeap" he smiled, "you look beautiful".

"You look pretty good yourself" she commented. "Oh and Mum and Tony just left, they said they'd wait for us out side of the office.

"Alright. So you ready to do this thing?" Lucas asked stepping towards her and stretching his hand out to her.

"Yeap" she simply said before taking his hand and following him down the stairs and out of the house.

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"You sure your up to this?" Lara asked a nervous Peter as the stood in front of the door of the interview room.

"Yeah, I need to find out if it really is him" Peter nodded.

"Well good luck then, I'll leave you to it".

"Aren't you coming with me?" Peter asked, putting on a sad face.

"No sorry, it's a bit to creepy for me".

"Please" Peter begged, putting on his sad face and puppy dog eyes.

"No" she said shaking her head, "he wanted me dead, I'd just rather he stayed in there and I stayed out here.

"Alright then" Peter said before disappearing into the room.

------------------------------------------------

"For better or for worse" Maddie began, the service was already underway and Lucas had already taken his turn, "for richer or for poorer" she continued, looking deep into Lucas' smiling eyes, "in sickness and in health, till death do us part, this is my vow to you".

Lucas' smile couldn't get any bigger, without taking his eyes off Maddie he reached out for the ring that the celebrant handed to him, "with this ring as a token of my love for you, I be wed" he spoke lovingly, gently slipping the ring on Maddie's finger.

"Lucas, with the ring as a token of my love for you, I be wed" she said, doing the same.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife" the celebrant announced, "You may now kiss the bride".

Without hesitation, Lucas wrapped his arms around Maddie's waist and pulled her into him as her arms fell loosely around his neck. "I love you Mrs Holden" he whispered softly before he took her into the first kiss of their marriage.

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In the interview room, Peter sat on the opposite side of the table to Sean Loyd, the devil himself. Although, despite his past, his eyes weren't full of the evilness that they once were and he seemed defeated and powerless, a sight many would pay millions to see. "So are you going to talk?" Peter asked finally.

"What's there to say?" Sean began, his voice wasn't as stern as it once was, now it seemed crackled and weak, "one minute I've got a bullet in me left arm and the next some mongrel's got me locked in a shed for years on end".

"So you didn't purposely make us all think you were dead? Because right now a guys sitting in prison for your murder"

"I got shot, that doesn't mean I was dead" Sean grunted.

"I'm not asking you if your alive, I'm asking you if you purposely made people think you were dead".

"No, people think I'm dead because some idiot took advantage of the fact that I got shot and then they managed to pull a lot of strings in making it look different to what it was. Look I don't care that Jack Holden shot me, let the guy go, if I held a grudge against everyone who tried to kill me I'd start to forget how many people I hate, all I want it for the idiot that locked me up to get what he deserves".

"Fine, but your going to have to give us a better idea of who this idiot it then".

"I don't remember much of him, but if I saw him I'd know who he was straight away. He had a certain evilness in his eyes" Sean explained.

"Alright well we'll see what we can do, if you think of anything else, no matter how small, just let us know alright" Peter told him, taking some papers in his hands and got up, turning around to file them in the filing cabinets.

"Wait there was something else" Loyd spoke, grabbing Peter's immediate attention. "He spoke about getting what he deserved".

"Can you expand on that?" Peter asked, turning back towards him and placing his hands on the edge of the desk.

"Well there were lots of little things he said every now and then and it all came back to what he deserved, once he said that he was going to use me because I'd hurt some girl he was in love with and he couldn't be with her because... well actually he didn't say why, but he did say that when he dealt with me that she'd some how love him too".

"Ok, um, can you think of anyone that you hurt that he'd be referring to?"

"Look detective, you know as well as I do that I've hurt way to many people to know which one he was talking about".

"Yeah I know, but I just need you too think, were starting to get some where" Peter told him, sitting back down and pulling out a pen.

"Really?"

"Yes, and that's why I really need you to think, was there anything he said about this girl that could maybe narrow the numbers down, or the circumstances of why he couldn't be with this girl he loves" Peter continued going through suggestions.

"No... but I do remember overhearing a conversation he had with someone else, it was very sort and vague, but the voice he was talking to sounded awfully familiar, I just can't think were I heard it".

"Well you think about it then, I've got to go and make some calls" Peter explained, getting up and walking through the door.

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"Everything alright?" Lara asked as Peter came back into her office.

"Yes and no" Peter started as he made his way towards her.

"Ok just tell me the good news, some how I gather that the bad news is long and complicated".

"It sure is, anyway the good news" Peter said sitting down next to her, "were getting our old boss back".

"But doesn't that mean you won't be boss anymore? Hows that good news?" Lara questioned, she thought Peter loved running the place, "wait hang on... our old boss as in the last one we had?" Lara asked with her eyes widening.

"Yeah" Peter nodded.

"As in Jack?"

"Yeap".

"Oh my gosh, but how?" she exclaimed.

"Well it's a bit silly to keep him locked up for something we've just proven him innocent for".

"Yeah but he still tried to kill Loyd".

"Yeah and Loyd doesn't want him charged. If I remember his words correctly he said something along the lines of 'If I held a grudge against everyone who tried to kill me I'd forget who my enemies were'" Peter mimicked Sean, faking his voice.

Lara just laughed, "your such a goose" she giggled, playfully hitting him.

"Well that's gratitude for you" Peter said, pretending to be offended..

"Ok so your a very smart goose" she smiled placing her arms around his neck.

"And you love it" Peter teased her, finding himself holding her in his arms and running his hands up and down the length of her back.

"That I definitely do" she admitted, rubbing her nose against his and giving him a kiss.

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At the Holden's mansion Beth, Tony, Martha, Dylan, Rose, Boyd, Izzy, Tasha, Robbie and the happy newly weds were celebrating. They had some music on and opened a bottle of champaign, Tony had even embarrassed the hell out of Lucas by getting up and doing a little speech.

"Ring, ring... ring, ring... ring, ring" the phone interrupted, and Tony rushed to pick it up.

"Hello Tony Holden speaking" Tony answered, "your kidding right?" Tony continued, pausing for a minute or two while one of the police officers explained what had happened down at the station that day. "Really that's great, what tonight, no that's no problem, thank you" Tony finished and hung the phone up. Then he turned around and looked over the moon at the others who were all looking at him waiting to hear what was going on. "You'll never guess what".

"Yeah we probably won't" Lucas answered, "so how about you just tell us".

"Jack's coming home, he's a free man" Tony explained.

"But how?" Beth asked in amazement.

"It's a long story you all should probably sit down".

_Ok, hope Sean Loyd still being alive isn't to far fetched, but I really wanted to get Jack out of jail. Please review and tell me what you think. I'll continue when I've got two or more reviews._


	31. Give me a belt!

_Thanks for the reviews guys, here's the next chapter, hope you like it._

_Chapter number 31. Give me a belt!_

Martha sat by herself on a couch in the Holden's lounge room, noises could be heard from the dinning room down the hall that she'd excused herself from only a few minutes ago. She could heard laughter and joking, all in fading voices that were overpowered by the constant ticking of the circular wall clock that had her full attention, it was six thirty, only and hour till Jack would be able to be picked up from the station. She didn't know what to think, she didn't have a clue whether all this was good or bad.

"Sean's still alive," she whispered softly to herself, holding her stomach tight and rocking back and forth slightly as if it were cold. "He was dead," She panicked, seeming scared. "He's been alive, but he was dead," She added, shaking as she spoke to the empty room, sending her brain into a knot of confusing gibberish that had no end of explanation. She tried to think about the fact that Jack was coming home, it was good news, but now all she wished was that he'd finished Sean off properly. She knew it sounded horrible, but she couldn't help it.

"Hey I was wondering where you'd gotten to," Rose said smiling as she walked through the door to the lounge room, holding a champaign glass in one hand. Then she saw the state Martha was in. "Martha what's wrong?" she asked, walking over to her and placing her glass down on the coffee table, sitting next to her.

"Everything," She told her dully. "When Tony first said that Jack was coming home I couldn't be happier, but then he told me why and all I could think about is how horrible it is that Sean's not dead... I mean, what kind of person does that make me? I want him dead," She sobbed.

"It makes you perfectly human Martha," Rose told her, sympathizing with her. "Everyone's got people they don't like."

"Yeah but they don't want them dead."

"Sometimes yes. Look, it's only a bad thing if you actually plan on killing him yourself".

"I guess so." Martha agreed, trying to smile slightly.

"Now come on, cheer up, Sean's behind bars where he belongs and Jack's coming home, there's nothing bad about any of that. And desert's next, it's Beth's famous double chocolate mud cake," Rose told her handing Martha a tissue out of the tissue box sitting on the coffee table.

"Well I couldn't miss getting a piece of that then could I?" Martha smiled again, happily this time, and gratefully took the tissue, wiping away her tears and getting up and looking at Rose who was still sitting down. "Come on, if we don't get there this century Lucas and Tony would of already scoffed our cake for us!" She exclaimed in a huff, she couldn't possibly miss out on some of Beth's cake.

"Yeah they probably would" she giggled. "One day they'll make themselves sick from eating so much".

"No their Holden's," Martha answered, before the two girls cracked up in laughter.

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"Is it all in place?" The unknown voice of a man asked, as the door of a dark pitch black cellar opened and let in rays of light at the top of the stairs and a woman stepped in.

"Just as planed, they fell for it better then we thought," She told him smiling and evil smirk as she made her way down the concrete staircase and let the figure take her hand and guide her across the room.

"Good, good, you've done well, soon revenge will be ours".

"Mmm," She nodded, closing her eyes for a second. "And it sounds beautiful already," She sighed.

"It certainly does" he agreed, "it certainly does".

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Jack sat on the chair in his cell as he watched the bars that he'd been trapped by slowly open, it was like a dream, an unbelievable dream that he'd had many of the nights he'd been in here, except this time it was actually happening, he'd even pinched himself a few times to check. The sliding bars slowly came to a halt with one loud creek and a guard appeared holding out the cloths that Jack had worn when he arrived here a year and a half ago, finally he'd be able to wear something other than these horrible prison clothes.

"Thanks," Jack smiled, greatfully taking his collared shirt and pants, putting them on quickly after the guard left.

"Hello, hello, haven't seen you in a long time," Lara's voice grabbed his attention.

"Hey," Jack exclaimed, spinning around towards her, not realizing that he'd lost weight since he got sent here. Gravity took action and his pants fell right off him, making Lara crack up in laughter and leaving Jack humiliated. "They fit fine last time I wore them," Jack said, pulling his pants back up around his hips.

"Well they don't anymore" she giggled, "anyway come on we've got to get you back to the station".

"Yeah I can't wait to get out of this place," Jack told her, still red from embarrassment as he walked out into the corridor.

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"You called for me?" Peter asked as he came to the cell that Sean was in.

"I know who it was," Sean shot out as soon as he looked up and saw Peter standing there.

"What?" Peter gasped.

"The familiar voice, I know who it was" he explained, leaning forward on his chair and talking a little softer, "Matt's wife".

"Matt had a wife?" Peter asked in confusion.

"Yeah, her name's Jemma Grieve."

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"Shouldn't he be back by now?" Martha winged to Tash who was sitting next to her, Tony had left to get Jack half an hour ago and he still wasn't back.

"Oh for the millionth time, he'll get here when he gets here!" Tash grumbled.

"Sorry I just want him back here," Martha sighed.

"Yeah we all do."

"Jack's here!" Lucas called out from down the hall.

Tash jumped to her feet and went to leave the room before turning back around to Martha, "well come on don't just sit there."

"Ok I'm coming" she said also jumping up and making her way down the hallway to where Jack and Tony were already standing with the other's around him.

"Well I'll go get you a belt from upstairs," Tony suggested.

"Yeah thanks."

"Why? What's wrong with you pants?" Lucas asked.

"It's a long story," Jack tried to save himself the embarrassment, before his dad got a word in.

"He lost to much weight and they fell down right in front of Lara" Tony told them, making everybody else laugh.

"Great I'm never going to live this one down am I?" Jack sighed.

"Nope, not while I'm around" Lucas grinned.

"Thanks" Jack said sarcastically.

"Well I'm sure you'll get back to eating normally soon." Beth told him. "Which reminds me we've still got a big piece of chocolate cake left over from dinner."

"Hey you told us there was none left," Lucas exclaimed putting his hands on his hips.

"None that was going in your mouth," Beth laughed.

"Aww poor baby," Maddie tease him.

"So anyway we have to get going" Robbie announced. "Glad to have you back with us mate," He said patting Jack on the back.

"Yeah we'll see you soon," Tash added, going to give Jack a hug but stopping. "Actually I'll give you a hug when your not going to lose your pants."

"Yeah thanks."

"Bye."

"Yeah see ya," Jack said as Robbie and Tash left. When he turned back around Rose, Boyd, Maddie and Lucas were standing around chatting and Martha could be seen sitting down on a chair on the opposite side of the room, and without thinking he made his way over to her, still holding his pants up on one side.

"Hey," he smiled.

"Hey you," she smiled back at him. "So how does it feel to be free?"

"Actually it hasn't sunk in properly yet. It seems more like a dream really," He told her.

"Well I'm glad your home."

"Me too, no more being locked up, and I get my job back," She said proudly.

"That's great," She answered, starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. She didn't know what things were going to be like between her and Jack, and now wasn't the time to bring it into the conversation.

"Here you go," Tony interrupted handing Jack a belt.

"Thanks dad."

_I'll write more when I've got two reviews._


	32. Moving to quick

_Chapter number 32. Moving to quick._

"Broom, broom, broom" Dylan imitated a car as he pushed his toy car along a play mat road in the living room.

"Watch out Daddy's police car's catching up" Jack warned, pushing a toy police car as he laughed and played with his son just like he'd wanted to for so long.

"Uh oh".

Martha watched from the other side of the room and smiled as she watched Jack and Dylan, she hadn't seen ether of them this happy in a while, and it was nice to watch. Jack made a great dad, even if he'd been away for a long time.

"So should I arrest him or let him go?" Jack asked Martha jokingly.

"Let him go" Martha chuckled, "you can't arrest him, the cars to small".

"Good point, I'll just have to carry him to the police station myself" Jack said tickling Dylan and lifting him up in the air. Dylan just giggled, he was having so much fun.

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"Wait a minute" Lara started in shock of what Peter just told her, "Matt got married?"

"Yeah".

""Please don't tell me it's Jemma Grief" she begged, but the immediate look on Peters face answered it all, "oh my goodness that boy was dumber than I thought".

"So you know Jemma then?"

"Yeah her and Matt were dating in high school, she didn't know I was his sister though, Matt always liked to tell people he was an only child, she was a nasty piece of work too" Lara explained.

"What kind of stuff did she do?"

"Well maybe I should just tell you what she didn't do, that girl used to be the cause of everything that went wrong around town and at school. She lit fires, got arrested for suspected murder, and she was one of the nastiest pieces of work in the local gang".

"Really? Did she have any connections?" Peter asked in curiosity.

"Oh yeah, like half a million, the guy that committed the murder she was a suspect for knew her, not that the police could prove that she had anything to do with it, but we all knew the truth. Anyway what's Jemma got to do with any of these questions you keep asking me?"

"Well..." Peter started.

"Well what?"

"I when and saw Sean today and he said that she was one of the people holding him captive" Peter explained, "and by the sound of her I'm not surprised ether".

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"Well we better get you home Dilly, big dog went to bed a very long time ago" Martha told Dylan who was sitting on the couch next to Jack with his feet dangling in the air.

"Oh but mum-" Dylan protested before letting out a loud yawn.

"Why don't you too just stay here tonight" Beth suggested, we've got spare rooms.

"You sure that's ok?"

"Of course, your family, your welcome here anytime sweet" Beth told her, "Now lets get you off to bed little man" Beth said to Dylan, picking him up and carrying him on her hip up the stairs.

"He's a great kid isn't he" Jack smiled.

"Yeah most of the time, he has his moments" Martha answered. Walking over to Jack and sitting down next to him.

"Well all kids do" Jack added, "but that's just life".

"True. You know he takes after you in some ways" Martha commented.

"Really and how might that be?"

"Well he absolutely can't stand spiders, he hates putting things away and he loves his footy".

"That's good to here, New South Wales supporter I hope".

"No actually, he's a Queensland supporter, influenced by his Uncle Boyd".

"Well that's something we'll have to work on then" Jack laughed.

"Hey what's wrong with Queensland?" Martha asked, pretending to be offended.

"Oh don't tell me you've been converted too?" Jack rolled his eyes.

"Maybe" she laughed.

"Well it should be easy to convince you if your not sure then".

"Oh really and how do you plan on doing that then hey?"

"Well there's many ways, like this" Jack told her, placing his hands on her sides and tickling her.

Martha pushed herself back on the couch until she was lying down with Jack hovering over her, "don't" she giggled from his hands tickling her sides, "ok, ok" she said, putting her hands up ether side of her like she had been defeated.

"Ok what?" Jack asked, taking his hands away from her sides and placing them ether side of Martha to keep himself up.

"Ok I've been converted to the blues" she smiled at him innocently. Jack studied her, she looked so beautiful, her hair fell on the couch around her head so that it didn't cover up any of her flawless face, her eyes sparkled like stars, looking back at his. He lowered his face slowly until it was only centimeters away from hers. "Is this one of your conversion methods?" she whispered softly before his face moved closer and his lips captured hers.

At first the gesture was a shock to Martha, but almost imediently she responded as she felt Jack's lips moving against hers, she took in a deep breath of air through her nose and placed her hands on the sides of Jack, moving them quickly along his back until they'd crossed over. She could feel her heart pounding, racing at a million kilometers an hour, and gently she closed her eyes and let out a low moan.

Jack also closed his eyes, thinking about how lucky he felt, then all of a sudden he had a mental picture of Serena, making his soul feel guilty, and he pulled away quickly.

When Jack pulled away Martha's head kicked in and realized what was wrong, making her too feel guilty and uncomfortable, "I, um-" she muttered, sliding herself to one side of the couch as Jack lifted himself up orquadly and sat himself down properly on the other side.

"I should, um" Jack got his tongue court, "I should go to bed" he said getting up and walking away, he didn't know what was going on in his head.

Martha placed her elbow on her knee and hit her hand down hard into the palm of her hand, "why does it always have to go wrong?" she mumbled then got up, she needed some sleep herself.

_I'll continue when I get 2 reviews or more._


	33. The point between romance and friendship

_Chapter number 33. The point between romance and friendship_

Peter sat in his office deep in thought, he had one elbow on his desk with his hand holding his face up and his other hand twiddled a pen between two of his fingers, baning the end up and down on the desk, "Still no luck?" Lara asked as she came in and saw her boyfriend in the state he was in.

"No" he huffed.

"Well I though this might help" she smiled at him, holding out a cup of coffee which he greatfully took.

"Thanks".

"That's ok. So you still have no idea who the emails are from?"

"No, one of the computer guys is doing an IP address check for me, but I doubt that will get us anywhere, if this guy is as smart as we think he is he wouldn't be stupid enough to send it from his own computer".

"Well there's still a chance" she encouraged him.

"yeah I guess so" he sighed.

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Martha woke up and looked at the alarm clock on the bed side table of the Holden's spare room that read 1:30 am. She rolled over to go back to sleep but was distracted by Jack sitting on the chair next to the bed. "Jack" Martha said, still half asleep, "it's one thirty, shouldn't you be in bed?" she grumbled, opening her eyes properly and studying him as he staired at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Couldn't sleep, new bed" he explained giving her a soft warm smile that made her smile back at him.

"I thought you'd be itching to get back in you own bed" she said, giving into his warm gaze.

"Yeah I was, but I forgot how much I'd gotten used to sleeping on a brick" Jack sighed, "and I had a few things on my mind".

"Good things I hope".

"Mostly" he said, looking down at his hands, "Look Martha about before-".

"Jack, you don't need to explain".

"Yeah I do, I still can't explain it properly to myself, I want to be with you Martha, I really do" Jack promised.

"Yeah I know that Jack, but it just needs time".

"Yeah maybe" Jack nodded.

"What do you mean maybe?"

"It's just, everytime I close my eyes I see Serena and I just feel bad for loving you, I mean, she didn't even know about us, and now it's too late to say anything".

"Actually she did know" Martha told him sitting up on the bed cross-legged..

"But how?" Jack asked, "you told her?"

"I'm sorry Jack it was just-"

"No, no, don't be sorry" he cut her off, "it's better that she knew, she didn't deserve to die without knowing the truth".

"Yeah, that's probably why it slipped out the way it did, she was just talking about all these things she'd never admitted to before, even little things, and there I was hiding something bigger than all her confessions put together... I just, I couldn't hide it".

"So that's how she knew" Jack sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"In the letter she wrote me... she said that she knew that I loved you" he started.

"And let me guess she said it was ok?"

"Yeah".

"That's exactly what she said to me" Martha told him, "she was so calm about it too".

"She just wanted us too be happy" Jack added.

"Yeah I know" Martha said, forcing a weak smile before looking down at her fingers that were twisted together nervously, "she was good like that wasn't she? She just wanted people to be happy. She was even happy the first time she found out about Dylan, there wasn't even a moment of shock, she just smiled and looked at the positive that she was a step mum for so long without knowing" she smiled contently at the memories, "I know I wouldn't of been like that".

"Yeah me nether, but that was Serena" Jack spoke softly, almost with the slightest amount of sadness in his voice, "positive and accepting".

Martha just nodded, looking up at him, he'd moved from the chair where he'd been before, and he now sat on the edge of the bed with his body turned towards where she sat.

"So what does this mean for us then?" he asked, realizing that they'd both been wanting to ask the same thing since earlier that evening.

"I really don't know, I mean were not just friends are we?"

"No were not" he admitted honestly.

"And were not quite up there in the romance department ether" she added, "so were kinda stuck in the middle I guess".

"Is there a point between romance and friendship?"

"Well there can be now" she smiled, "so what do you say we call it then?"

"I don't know, how about confused?"

"Ok" Martha laughed.

"Well now that were officially confused, I should probably get back to bed and crash".

"Yeah I should get some sleep too".

"Good night" he whispered, leaning forward and pulling the covers over Martha as she lowered herself back into bed.

"Good night" she whispered back, closing her eyes as she felt Jack gently kiss her on the forehead before leaving and shutting the door quietly behind him.

_Please tell me what you think, I'll continue after I've got two reviews._


	34. Unexpected Arrival

_Sorry I've been a bit slow updating guys, I've had a lot of school work to do. Anyway here's the next chapter._

_Chapter number 34. Unexpected arrival_

"Good morning" Jack greeted Martha happily as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Morning" she grumbled, sliding her feet along the ground, "someone's had a lot of coffee".

"Yeah, I haven't had the stuff in ages, they don't serve it in jail" Jack told her, opening the lid of the coffee ready to make his third for the day so far, "you want one?"

"Yes please" she smiled sleepily as she slumped into on of the chairs at the table. "So did you end up getting any sleep?"

"Yeah I did surprisingly. What about you?".

"Yeah after I got back to sleep".

"Sorry if I woke you last night" Jack apologized.

"No you didn't, I hadn't been sleeping well at all before you came in. It was kinda a good thing you came in though".

"Really and whys that?" Jack asked taking two coffee mugs in his hands and bringing them to the table, sitting down next to Martha.

"Just clearing things up helped a lot".

"Yeah for me too, I feel a lot better knowing that Serena found out about what happened" Jack sighed, taking a sip of coffee, "and that things were still good between us after what happened before bed last night".

"Yeah" Martha nodded with a small smile, "When you first came home I was a little edgy on how things were going to be" she admitted before giving him a cheeky grin.

"What's that look for?"

"Oh I was just wondering when I was going to see you in your sexy uniform again" she said playfully.

"I hope were talking about my police uniform".

"Yeah, sorry but that green prisoners uniform didn't look to great on you" she laughed.

"No it didn't" he chuckled, "but Peter was saying that he'll have to sort a few things out before I go back just yet".

"What kinda things does he need to sort out?" Martha asked curiously.

"Just things like newspaper articles and things like that to get the real story across town so we don't get another Harry incident".

"Well I guess that makes sense then".

"Good morning sleepy head" Beth interrupted as she came into the kitchen, "I though we were never going to get you out of bed".

"Well I was thinking of staying there, but then I looked at the clock" Martha told her.

"So then what are you two up too today?"

"Not much" Martha sighed, "I'm baby sitting Izzy tonight, but that's it".

"What about you Jack?" Beth asked.

"Well I should definitely get some pants that fit, I'm sick of belts already".

"Yeah the belt's a great look with the PJ's" Martha nodded sarcastically.

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Rose lifted Izzy out of her play pen where she sat looking rather worn out, "How about we get you to bed girly" she said out loud, sitting Izzy on her hip and carrying her towards the stairs next to the front door, walking up to the second floor of the three story house. "_Knock knock_" the sound of someone knocking on the door could be heard. "I'll be there in a minute she called out, quickly putting Izzy in her cot and rushing back down the stairs to open the door. "hello can i help you?" she asked when she was confronted with a face she hadn't seen before. The girl at the door looked in her early teens, she seemed confused as she ran her fingers through her hair nervously and bit her bottom lip quickly before speaking.

"Um, I'm, um, I'm looking for my dad" the girl began.

"I'm sorry but I don't think anyone that lives here is your dad" Rose started, feeling a little uncomfortable, "I could always find out if he used to live here".

"Yeah that would be good thanks".

"What's his name?"

"Boyd" she told her, "Boyd Hoyland".

Rose was in shock, she didn't know what to think, "Um maybe you should come in" she suggested opening the door further so that the girl could enter the house.

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"Good morning" Lara greeted Peter as he came through the door of the station.

"Hey" he said cheerfully.

"Well you sound like your in a better mood than yesterday" she smiled.

"Yeah some sleep did wonders for my brain" he told her.

"Detective?"a voice asked from behind.

"Yes?" Peter said turning around to see one of the computer guys.

"I've got the IP results" he started, "do you think we could have a word in private?"

"Yeah sure straight through here" Peter told him, opening the door of his office to let him in, giving Lara a quick smile before following him in and shutting the door.

"The results came up with something rather expected".

"So do we know who sent it?" Peter asked.

"Yeah we do, that's the part that's unexpected, it's from one of the computer's here in the station" he explained.

"Your kidding me?"

"No, I wish I was believe me".

"So who is it then?"

"Your new girlfriend" he explained.

"Lara?" Peter asked in shock, "but it can't be".

_I'll try my best to update when I've got 2 reviews._


	35. Do you remember?

_Chapter number 35. Do you remember?..._

"I swear to you Peter I had nothing to do with any of it" Lara promised in a panic. She'd come into Peter's office right after the computer guy had left, and now she wished she hadn't come in.

"Yeah and I believe you" Peter told her, looking her in the eye and, pulling her into him, holding her close to him, "You don't have to prove anything to me, I know you wouldn't do that" he said warmly.

"Thank you" she whispered softly.

"That's ok, I just wish I could get my hands on the mongrel that set you up like this" he told her, placing a kiss on the top of her head that was rested just below his left shoulder.

"Yeah me too".

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"So he never knew you existed?" Rose asked the thirteen year old girl who'd introduced herself as Danielle.

"No" Danielle told her shaking her head, "by the time Mum found out she was pregnant with me he'd already taken off" she sighed looking up at Rose who was sitting next to her on the cream lounge in the middle of the large family room.

"What she didn't even try looking?" Rose said, so far she was having trouble buying this girls story, even though the times and places all seemed to make sense.

"Yeah of course she tried looking, but she had no idea where to find him, and by the time I came along she had her hands full" Danielle explained, seeming honest and genuine.

"Look Danielle, I'm sorry, but I'm having a really hard time trying to believe all this" Rose said honestly, taking in a deep breath.

"I know it's sudden, but I've lived with my mum my whole life, and I really just want to at least know my dad" she said desperately.

Rose just sighed and nodded, trying to put on a smile, "he should be home soon. Speaking of which, that's probably him now" she told her as a car could be heard out side.

"Honey I'm home" Boyd's voice called as he slammed the door behind him.

"Up here" Rose called back to him.

Boyd made his way up the stairs on the left side of the entry way of the house and when he reached the top he saw not only his wife, but a teenage girl who looked a lot like someone he once knew. "Who's this?" he asked, not meaning to sound rude.

Right at that moment Izzy cried out and Rose hopped up, I'll leave her to explain" she told him before going down the stairs that he's just come up and down the second stair case that was next to it, bypassing the entry way.

"Sorry if I sounded rude before" Boyd apologized.

"It's ok" she smiled, "So I guess your still wondering who I am?"

"Yeah".

"My names Danielle" she began, but then a questioning look came upon her and she suddenly seemed more serious, "do you remember dating a girl named Janae Timmins?"

"Yeah" Boyd said slowly, some how he didn't like where this was heading, it was obvious that the girl was related to Janae, she looked so much like her, she had the same blond curly hair, the same smile, but... different eyes. "What's this got to do with who you are?" he asked curiously.

"Just after you left her" she started, "she found out that she was pregnant... with me" she explained, looking for any reaction in his face, she was more scared than ever, normally she was confident and not worried about consequences of her actions, but this was something she'd been dreaming of for her whole life, she wanted to know her dad.

Boyd just looked in shock, that was his daughter... his, teenage daughter...

_Sorry it's short, I've still had a lot of school work, I'll try my best to write more when I've got 2 or more reviews._


	36. No one's fault

_Chapter number 36. No one's fault_

Rose sat on the rocking chair in Izzy's room, holding the little baby in her arms and rocking back and forth. She studied the small six month old baby, she was the perfect match of her and Boyd, their baby, and Rose had always thought that she's be the only mother of Boyd's children, well up until half an hour ago, now that dream had been shattered, torn away and burned.

A tear came to her eye, she had a pretty good idea of who Danielle's mother was; Janae Timmins, no DNA was needed to tell that, she looked so much like her. She still remembered Janae, back in high school they'd been enemies, both fighting over Boyd.

She could hear the door opening slowly and she looked around to see Boyd standing there, "Rose" he spoke softly, seeming lost.

"Yeah" Rose managed to get out through gentle sobs as Boyd approached her and sat in the chair beside her.

"I'm so sorry" he whispered, tears in his eyes, "I'm so sorry".

"It's not your fault, it's not really anyone's fault, just a big mess that couldn't be resolved... I mean, you didn't know, and Janae didn't know where you were" she said, trying to make sense of the whole situation, "I can't believe I'm not blaming her, because when I first found out I so badly wanted to, but I couldn't".

"Hey come here" Boyd said gently before Rose got up with Izzy and sat on his lap, "You know this isn't going to change the fact that I love you and always will don't you?" he told her reassuringly.

"Yeah I know" she nodded, finding it harder to control her crying.

Boyd pulled her in, holding her and Izzy close and kissing Rose on the top of the head, "It's going to be ok" he whispered, "we'll get through this".

"I hope so" she said softly, "I really hope so".

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Martha and Jack walked along the empty beach, the sun was only dim now and it wouldn't be long before it was dark. Jack held on to Martha's hand gently and looked over at the peaceful waves that rolled softly as they reached the shore line and spread out into a thin layer of water before rushing back out to sea. Then peacefully he took in a deep breath of the air, taking in the smell of the ocean, "I missed this place so much" he sighed.

"I beat you did" Martha smiled, "just being in the city for to long makes me miss it".

"So is that the real reason why you spend most of your days here" Jack grinned.

"Partly, I guess it's also got something to do with getting away from all the ciaos of the city".

"Well why don't you just move here then?"

Martha just looked at Jack blankly for a second, "I don't know".

"Well you could always come and live with me, it'd save you a lot of fuel" Jack suggested.

Martha stopped in her tracks, let go of Jacks hand and tilted her head to one site, "I though we were taking things slowly".

"We are" Jack simply replied, making Martha's face suddenly look more confused than there relationship was, "I mean we've taken things extremely slowly, just think when we first got together you were still eighteen, and now your twenty six".

Martha chuckled slightly and smiled, taking Jacks hand again and taking a step forward, "well if you put it that way how could I say no" she beamed, "but I'm still staying in the spare room for now".

"Ok, I guess that makes sense" Jack nodded, moving his hand from hers and placing his arm around her shoulders.

"So what do we tell the others then? I mean there going to start to wonder what's going on".

"Well we just tell them part of the truth then" Jack suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"Well I want to be closer to Dylan, which is true".

"Yeah" Martha smiled as they came to the end of the beach where the rocks started.

"You wanna go up there?" Jack asked innocently pointing up to the cliff top.

"Yeah sure" she answered before hearing her phone beeping from in her bag, "hang on one second" she told him removing her arm from around him to rummage through her bag to receive the text message. "Well looks like I won't be in a rush to get back home later then, Rose and Boyd had a change of plans" she said before putting her phone away and taking Jack's hand again.

"Well in that case why don't you stay for dinner and we can tell the others together hey?"

"Yeah sounds good" she answered, resting her head on his shoulder as he pulled her into him as they walked, "I'm sure Dylan will be happy too".

"Yeah, I've got a lot of catching up to do with him".

"Well your going to get that now".

"Sure am" he answered happily, "it's going to be great" he whispered, kissing her lightly on the head.

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"So is that everything?" Lucas asked Maddie who was carrying her last bag to the car, they were finally going on there honeymoon.

"Yeap, I think so" Maddie told him dropping the bag in the boot and wrapping her arms around his neck just after he closed the boot.

"So Mrs Holden where do you want to go then?" he asked smiling happily at her, placing his hands on her sides.

"Anywhere, as long as it's just you and me" she smiled sweetly, looking adoringly into his eyes and giving him a kiss before he helped her into the passengers side of the car. He then walked over to the drivers side and hopped in, not taking his eyes off her once.

"Well then lets go".

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"Here we are" Jack said as he got to the top of the cliff and turned around to help Martha up the last step.

"Wow, I forgot how beautiful it is up here" she smiled making her way closer to the edge.

"Yeah it's been a while since we were up here" he added, sitting down near the edge and guiding Martha's hand to help her sit down too.

Martha chuckled slightly and looked out to sea, "If I remember correctly the last time we were both here was when you tried to get me to jump".

Jack nodded slightly, also looking out to the water, "I've been back since then though".

"Really when?" she asked, looking back at him, admiring how peaceful he looked.

"After you ran away" Jack told her, "coming up here was my way of remembering how we used to be".

Martha moved herself closer to him, leaning sideways slightly so that she could rest her head on his shoulder, "well I'm not going anywhere now".

Jack looked over at her, admiring the beautiful girl in his arms that he'd just wrapped around her, "and that makes me the luckiest man in the world".

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Lara sat in her office, tears were running down her face and she rocked herself back and forth on the chair, huddling her arms around her stomach like she was trying to hold herself together, someone was out to get her, they'd already framed her, who knows what they could do next.

She's already been through a list of people in her mind that could of done this to her, it couldn't be Matt, he was behind bars, and it couldn't be Sean for the same reason. Jemma didn't even know her so she'd already forgotten about that idea, and now she was left wondering again, wondering about who it was, wondering about where they were right now, wondering what there next move was now, and wondering if they'd do more to her.

She staired at the clock on the wall, it was seven thirty already and the sky was dark. She heard a bang which made her jump so high she was surprised she didn't hit the roof, her hands were now on the edge of the chair, holding on for dear life and her eyes looked around the room searching every inch of the room in fright.

Then she heard foot steps, loud haunting foot steps, they could be heard echoing, ringing and tapping along the wooden corridor floor, they got closer and closer, making more and more noise with each step... until they stopped and Lara could see a shadow through the small translucent window of the office door.

Then the handle moved, it's sliver dimensions turning ever so slowly, Lara's heart racing more with each inch it moved. The door opened slowly, letting out a haunting creeping sound as it moved and a face appeared, stepping inside and shutting the door quickly holding out a gun directed right a Lara who was sitting at her desk completely defenseless and weak.

"Oh my gosh it's you" she exclaimed in shock.

"Don't say a word" he warned, giving her a look that made her even more scared, "I suggest you cooperate, otherwise there might be trouble, we wouldn't want that now would we?" he continued, smiling to himself, Jemma had been right, this was all going to go as planed.

_I'll do my best to continue when I've got 2 or more reviews._


	37. In her shoes

_Chapter number 37. In her shoes_

"You ready to do this?" Jack asked Martha the next morning as he walked into the lounge room and placed his hands on her shoulders from behind her as she sat on the couch.

"I think so" she sighed sadly, turning her head to look at him as he walked around to the front of the couch and sat down next to her with his arm over her shoulder. Last night they'd told the news to a very excited Tony and Beth, but some how the thought of going home and telling her family seemed to scare her, she didn't know what living here with Jack would bring, in someways she couldn't be more happy, but in other ways she was really going to miss her home.

"Your going to miss them aren't you?"

"Yeah, I know I can always visit them, I just-, it's not the same" she explained fiddling with her fingers and trying to hold back a tear, "gosh I haven't even told them yet and I'm crying" she tried to laugh at herself, letting Jack wipe it away with his thumb.

"It's going to be a big change for everyone" Jack comforted her, "so you want to do this or not?"

"Of course I want to" she smiled as Dylan came bounding down the stairs with his toy car.

"You ready to go buddy?" Jack asked excitedly.

"Yeap" Dylan sot out quickly in his excitement and raced to the door.

"Try not to trip over" Martha panicked.

"Stop stressing" Jack said soothingly, helping her up by her hand and placing a kiss on the top of her head, he loved how protective Martha was of Dylan, just like any mother would be like, he'd never really noticed how motherhood had changed Martha, but now that he was home and getting to know his family he couldn't imagine it any other way.

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Lara lifted her head off the cold hard concrete floor that she woke to find herself on, she could feel rope around her wrists holding her hands behind her back, tied so tightly that she couldn't feel her hands anymore.

She tried to move, to lift herself up, to get away from this mess, but she couldn't, any attempt resulted in her head banging back down on the hard floor and her groaning in pain, she tried to move her feet, but they too were tied together, she was getting frustrated, she was a cop, she should of been able to get herself out of this.

She wanted Peter, she wanted him to be there holding her and holding her hand, telling her that this was going to be ok, even if it wasn't, she just wanted to hear his voice, his warm voice that made her smile no matter how bad her day had been, she could listen to him for hours and never wish to be anywhere else, no matter where they were, she loved being with him.

But he wasn't there this time, he was always there, so much so that all her time without him was spent thinking about him, and now, scared and confused in the middle of nowhere, without Peter to hold her hand or come to her rescue, she began to lose hope, beginning to fear what the last days of her life might bring, and praying with all her heart that Peter could hear her last cries... hear her last words... three little words that would mean more now than ever; 'I love you'... and she could only imagine his response, a response that no words needed to say, the look was in his eyes everytime her eyes met his, 'I love you too' she could only imagine the sound of his voice, the gentle tone that made her fill with joy every time he spoke.

Tears came to her eyes when her heart sank and realized that if this was really the end, she'd never hear or see him again, never feel his warm arms around her, or how his soft lips moving against hers. He didn't even know where she was, how was there any hope?

Giving up in her struggle to be free, Lara sighed and began to look at the room around her, it was dark, two of the walls contained small grates like a prison letting in hardly any light, the other two walls contained shelves, and she found herself squinting her eyes to try and make out what was on them, it looked like photo frames, thousands and thousands of them, all lined up along the shelves that ran along the length of the large wall. As she moved her eyes from the shelves, to the blank wall next to it, to the stairs, she realized that there was something next to her, or should she say someone, they too were tied up.

She couldn't make out who they were, their back was turned towards her and they just lay there, motionless and weak, just like she felt.

She didn't know who they were, but she already felt sorry for them, and she started to wonder what kind of life this person lead, if it had anything to do with why they were here, or if they had a family, friends, husband or wife, kids... the list went on.

Her thoughts were soon interrupted though when the body rolled over and let out a sigh of frustration, "would that idiot hurry up already" she yelled, throwing her tied up hands in the air before they landed on her stomach together.

"Jemma?" Lara asked when sh saw the face of this girl.

Jemma looked sideways and studied Lara for a second, looking at her with a hint of wonder, "so how did you get yourself in this mess hey? You were always such a good girl at school".

"I didn't get myself into any mess" Lara snapped at her, "that stupid idiot decided it would be a bit of fun to kidnap me. So what are you doing tied up then? Aren't you in on this?"

"I was in on it" Jemma explained, sighing and tossing her head back up to look at the roof, "but then he turned on me, said I'd done as much as he needed me for and tossed me in here".

"Bummer" Lara puffed, trying to sound like she cared. "So I here you married my brother".

"Yeah" she shot out, sounding regretful, "stupidest thing I ever did".

"Well if you married him then you must of loved him right?"

"Yeah I did" Jemma said softly.

"Well what's stupid about that?"

"Nothing... well everything actually" she explained, looking aimlessly into the darkness of the roof, "after high school, he seemed so perfect... he was perfect" she smiled slightly, "I still remember the wedding day, everything was so beautiful... and it was after the wedding too, he was still the sweet loving guy I married" she paused, letting out a quick breath, almost like she was letting out a laugh, but she wasn't laughing, she was crying, "then he met Sean".

"So that's where it all started hey?"

"Yeah, it happened slowly" she started, "at first he was going out without me more, and at the time I didn't think much about it, then he started to seem more edgy about things... and, the next thing I knew I got introduced to Sean. At first I didn't link it to any of the other stuff that had been happening, but then eventually I started getting more and more suspicious about him" she sighed sitting up and trying to move her feet apart, but gave up quickly and lay back down before continuing. "Then one day when I got home from work a few hours early I found them plotting some invasions of..." she paused in thought for a moment "actually I can't even remember what, but suddenly things just changed, Matt... he was... different" she stopped, mouth wide open, as if to still be wondering about how things happened and why they went the way they did, "it was almost like his whole attitude was different towards me just because I knew... then he started getting violent, and trying to get me in on his plans to give me reasons not to leave, and every time I'd try and get away... he'd threaten me, and tell me about how life would be in prison as an accessory for a crime that he committed" she told Lara, tears running down her cheeks, for her it was like reliving the whole burden that was upon her, like all these events were playing over and over in her mind, haunting her, making her in pain, emotional pain... and the whole world seemed pointless.

"The police would have been on your side Jemma, he was abusing you!" Lara stressed to her, listening to her sister in laws story had made her look through different eyes, she saw Jemma's pain, her nightmare, how used and abused she'd been, all Lara could think about now is how much she;d taken her own life for granted, she was lucky, no matter how much things seemed to suck sometimes.

"I know, but... by the time I got my head into perspective, it was to late... I was in too deep, I couldn't leave him Lara, I couldn't, and when I did I was so scared about what could happen to me that I ran as far away as I could... and then...".

"Then you met the idiot that put you here" Lara finished her off calmly yet supportingly.

"Yeah" was all she could say, right now she felt like an idiot, a fullish idiot, and it was all her fault, she'd made all the decisions that led here.

_Author note: I'm going to be away from this Thursday the 5th of October until the 15th, so the next chapter won't be up till after then, but i promise that the next chapter will reveal a few major questions like who the guy is that was locking Sean up and kidnapped Lara, feel free to tell me who you think it is, there's been at least one clue in the last few chapters, but no one's guessed who yet._


	38. All for her

_Chapter number 38. All for her_

Martha opened the front door of the Macklin's mansion where she lived in Sydney with her family, stepping inside she opened the door wider to let Jack and Dylan in too. "Rose" Martha called out, "Mum, Dad?" she continued when she got no answer, "Boyd?"

"They probably just went out" Jack suggested, making his way properly through the door, entering the tiled entry way, he looked around, at the opposite side of the room was two sets of stairs, the one on the left headed upstairs to the lounge room and the one on the right lead downstairs to where some of the bedrooms were.

"Yeah probably" Martha agreed, putting her bag on one of the hooks next to the door, "you want a drink?"

"Yes please" Jack answered, following Martha and Dylan up the left set of stairs, through the large carpeted lounge room and into the kitchen across the other side to the right.

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"So now that you've heard all about me, why don't you tell me about your life?" Jemma broke the silence in the basement, still looking into the darkness of the ceiling.

"What's there to tell? compared to your life mine seems pretty boring" Lara sighed.

"Well are you happy?"

"At this present second?"

"No, I mean, like... have you got a husband, kids, people who make you feel happy?" Jemma asked, she seemed more comfortable knowing that Lara hadn't judged her for being an idiot when she needed her brain most in her life, being looked down on it was one of the things she feared most about opening up.

"My husband died a long time ago..." she started, "but I got a boyfriend".

"What's he like?" she said, sitting up, suddenly more interested.

"Amazing" Lara sighed, "I just wish he was here now, he'd hold my hand... tell me everything would be ok... he always knows how to make me smile".

Jemma just smiled, at least one of them had a good place to return to when this ended... if it ever ended.

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Peter paced back and forth across the floor of his office, she was gone, and he didn't know where, she'd been at the station, but she never left, and she wasn't there... the same thing kept circling thought his mind, it was a never ending mind game, playing with him, haunting him, until he went crazy. He heard a knock at the door, and he turned to the sound of it opening and the face of one of the officers coming in.

"We went to arrest Lara-" he started.

"Oh for goodness sakes, when are you going to get it through your thick heads that it wasn't her!!!" Peter yelled with frustration, feeling the need to punch something.

"Look we don't want to believe it ether, she was a good friend to all of us" he defended himself.

"Well if she really was you friend then you'd take her word for it!" Peter snapped again.

"Boss, please just-"

"Don't boss me, your new boss will be here in a week or two, and as soon as he gets here he's going to tell you exactly the same thing, It wasn't her!"

Giving up the officer through his hands up in defeat and left, closing the door behind him, leaving Peter to cool down.

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"Hey" Martha greeted Rose as she made her way towards her and Jack on the balcony just outside the lounge room and kitchen of the second floor in the Macklin's mansion.

"Hey" she faked a smile, convincing enough for Martha not to ask. "So what's the celebration?" she asked, looking at the bottle of wine on the table.

"Well..." Martha started.

"Oh spit it out already" Rose shot out.

"Me and Dylan are moving in with Jack".

"Wow" Rose exclaimed in shock, yet she felt happy for Martha, it must have been a big step for her and Jack. "That's great news" she told her, leaning down to give both Martha and Jack a hug.

"How do you think Mum and Dad are going to react?" Martha asked nervously.

"Well I'm sure they'll be happy for you" Rose answered, sitting down at one of the chairs around the outdoor table.

"So cough it up" Martha suddenly shot out, looking comfortingly at Rose.

"Wh- what?" Rose splatted, almost chocking on air.

"I know that cover up smile Rose, what's going on?"

"Well..." she started.

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He stumbled, the bush around him seeming dull and smudgy, tears were filling his eyes, this was the time of the day were he allowed himself to mourn, the same daily routine he'd done for all the years since he was taken away from his home, all the people he loved, they all though he was coping, they thought he wanted to go, to pay the price for his mistake, but they were wrong, very wrong, really he wanted to stay, to be with them, to be with her... but he couldn't, he had to prove that he cared, that he'd do anything for her, and that ment getting revenge, making all the people who hurt her pay, one person at a time, even if it ment others suffered along the way, he'd get her back, he'd make her realize he loved her, everything about her even her annoying little habits, she was all he cared about.

When he left she thought that they were just friends, good friends, she'd even told him that the only way to show he was truly sorry for his actions, was to get on with his life, not stay behind bars, so he obeyed that, he was getting on with his life... his life to get her back to him.

He finally came to the end of the path, the tears began to fade, and his surroundings began to become clear again. He came to a door of a concrete building, his concrete building, his castle, his sanctuary, or what ever he liked to call it, it was his trophy room, dark just as he liked it.

His hand reached out from the pocket of his black leather jacket, reaching to the door handle and turning it until his push began to open it.

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Lara and Jemma both looked up at the same second, there was a rusty squeal as the door opened slowly at the top of the stairs that went up about twenty meters before it met the door that almost reached the ceiling of the basement. Rays of light teared into the room, as a figure stepped into the room... it was him, the crazy man himself; Jessie McGregor...

_Author note: ok hope that wasn't too unexpected, sorry for making you all wait so long to find out. As usual I won't continue until I've got two reviews, I'm really looking forward to what you think._


	39. The devil himself

_Hey guys, thanks for the reviews, this chapter's a bit longer than usual, I got a bit carried away, hope you like it._

_Chapter number 39. The devil himself._

"Oh my gosh, so he's had a daughter for like... years and he never knew?" Martha exclaimed when Rose finished telling the previous days events.

"Yeah" Rose nodded, "I'm still trying to come to terms with it all, I mean I'm a step mum... and now I feel bad about not wanting it" Rose admitted, "don't get me wrong, I don't hate the idea ether, it's just..."

"Not what you thought you were marrying in to?" Martha finished her off.

"Exactly".

"I'm so sorry Rose" Martha said sympathetically, not even wanting to try and understand what a mess things must be for her at the moment.

"It's not your fault... It's no ones fault really, just a big mess that no one could do anything about".

"But what about Danielle's Mum? Surely she should of said something to Boyd" Jack suggested.

"She tried, but Boyd had already left when she found out, and she didn't have a clue where he went to, he just... tock off. Like I said before, it's no ones fault, I wish it was though... then I'd have someone to blame".

Martha and Jack just nodded and gave her a knowing smile of hope, there was nothing more they could say.

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He was standing there, his feet directly in front of Lara's face that was level with the ground, she looked up, and he was looking down at her. Evilness was in his eyes, like fire burning through everything until it got to the target, what ever that was.

"What do you want from me?" Lara gasped, longing to get out, out from the night mare, away from the danger.

"Not much" Jesse snarled, "but you want something from me" he answered, carelessly sitting down in front of her, he didn't ask for a reply, nor did she give him one, so he continued on his happy ramble, "you want me to let you go" he spoke for her, "but your going to have to do something for me first" he explained, looking around to Jemma who had been completely silent, "you too babe".

"Don't call me that!" Jemma snapped, "were not doing anything for you".

"Well, well well, we do have an attitude now don't we" Jesse perked up, seeming amused by her anger, "now haw about you let the cop speak for herself, I'm sure she's a little more willing than you are" he added, looking around to Lara who just gave him a disgusted look.

"I'm not doing anything for you, your a sick creep".

"Amen" Jemma exclaimed.

Jesse wasn't so cheerful anymore, his evilness turned from picking teasing fights to, anger, cold hard anger.

"So what are you going to do know?" Jemma sighed impatiently when she realized she was getting to him, "I'm starched, could you go get me a coke or something?" she asked cheekily.

Lara bit her lip to try and hide her smile and the laughter that was welling up inside her, she had to admit seeing the look on Jesse's face was pretty hilarious.

"Or maybe" Jemma continued, "maybe some coffee would be better, the caffeine might do me some good, these floors don't exactly give a lot of good rest if you know what I mean".

By then both girls were laughing, Jesse just sat there, as stiff as a brick with evilness in his eyes, stone evilness, the laughter was echoing in his head, fading softer and softer, bringing his mind back to a time when he could laugh, when he had people to laugh with, those were the days ha longed to return to; the good days.

"Shut up" he finally spoke, moving only his lips before they returned to the same straight serious look they held before. He got up, stood tall and looked right down at the two women on the floor, "you two better watch yourselves" he warned, "cause what I say goes, and you'll be sorry if you don't do things my way". He turned around towards the door and began to walk slowly yet confidently, he had to look like he was on control, he was in control, well in control of everything except his life, but he would be soon, things were going to get better, he just had to make things right first, make things right for her, then she'd see he was worth it.

"None of this is going to bring her back you know" Jemma called out, making him come to a stop in his tracks, but he didn't dare turn around, he knew what she ment, and she was wrong, it would bring her back, it would, he knew it would, he took another step forward and was on his path again to the door. Not giving up Jemma tried again, "None of this is going to bring Martha back". He stopped, turned to face her, glaring at her, begging her to take it back, but she didn't, she just kept her serious face, looking directly at him with a knowing look, "I know you miss her, but Jesse this isn't the way, your only making things worse for yourself".

"Yes it is" he shot out, by now he had lost it, his eyes were glassy, holding his emotions in like his father had always taught him too, "only wussy boys cry" he'd remembered hearing.

"Jesse" Lara spoke, making him turn from Jemma to look at her, "you need help".

"Lara's right" Jemma agreed, "she's a cop, she can get you the help you need, then there won't be any need for all of this pointless revenge, it's not good for you".

"Shut up" he shouted, trying to hold in a tear, but was too late, it was already rolling swiftly down his cheek, "you don't know... you don't know why I have to do this".

"No we don't" Jemma started, seeming comforting in her voice, but it was all just to try and make him see sense, "and I don't think you really do ether, that's why you need help... professional help" she finished, studying Jesse's face with anticipation, trying to see any sign of making his head click back into place.

"You think I'm a loony don't you" he said dully, like he was drunk, drunk with emotions, that's when the anger came, he was already five meter's away, soon it became four... then three, "you think I'm a joke, that's why you were laughing wasn't it?" he continued, making it to two... then one.

"No Jesse we just want to help you" Lara jumped in.

"No you don't", he sniffed, "you want to lock me up, you want to treat me the way I treated Loyd".

"Jesse all this nonsense talk isn't helping" Jemma interrupted, her voice quivered slightly, she knew Jesse well, he was getting worked up, his anger was boiling, and she could already see his fist clenched.

"It's not nonsense and you know it!" he yelled, closing his fist tighter as he screamed. The room was suddenly silent as the echo from Jesse quickly faded, both girls were still, so still they didn't know whether there hearts were still beating, he was looking over them, and not at all like an angel from heaven would, it was like the devil, flames in his eyes, fuming with hate, "looks like you've finally found your place" she spoke normally again, letting his hands rest back in a normal calm position, then placed them behind his back and paced slowly back and forth in front of them, deciding what to do with them now. He couldn't make them do his work for him, they'd find some way to stuff it up, leaving them here would only mean having to find food for them... well if he wasn't too angry with them.

His thoughts were interrupted by Lara who had finally found the courage to speak, "please just tell us what you want to do with us".

"Well I hadn't actually decided myself" he told her, walking to the back end of the room and dragging a bench stool along to sit up high in front of them, "I could always just kill you and send my calling card to that precious boyfriend of yours, now that would be a bit of entertainment" he sighed, running his thumb and index fingers up and down opposite sides of his chin in amusement.

"Your sick, you know that" Jemma said in disgust.

"Really? Never knew that" he said sarcastically, "I thought I might of got the hint the first time you said that while I've been in this room".

"Well looks like your slow" she muttered under her breath when Jesse looked away.

"What was that?" Jesse asked, raising his voice slightly and looking directly at her waiting for her answer.

"Nothing".

"Yeah sure". He laughed, she was scared of him, she was below him, just the way he liked it. "You too chicken are you?" he teased.

Jemma didn't answer, she didn't even dare open her mouth this time, she just looked at him.

"Just tell us what you want and let us go" Lara butted in before Jesse could let out another of his remarks.

Jesse turned his attention to the direction of the floor where he heard Lara's voice come from, "You really think it's all that easy don't you princess... well welcome to the real world, you don't get what you want, just everything you don't want, my life's been that way for years, so get over it".

"So that's the reason your doing all this is it?" Jemma asked, "you think that the real world is so cruel that you have to be cruel to get somewhere".

"Yeah I do, got a problem with that?" Jesse answered defensively, getting up off the stool and took two steps towards Jemma.

Two minutes ago, Jemma would of just given him the answer he wanted to hear, but she was sick of this, she was sick of him, even if he killed her it would be better of living... with this. "Yeah I do actually" she said confidently, taking him by surprise.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that".

"I'll talk to you however the heck I want too" she told him bluntly.

That was the last straw for Jesse, he'd had enough, so he grabbed her, tight around the throught and lifting her in the air.

"Let her go!" Lara screamed, "Let her go" she repeated, using all her strength th move her legs that were still tied together to kick him.

Jesse dropped Jemma to the floor, looked at her and crouched down, "let that be a warning" he whispered. And with that, he walked back up the stairs and closed the door behind him.

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"I should be out there looking for her" Peter yelled, banging his fist down hard on the desk.

"Were all doing the best we can Peter" Jackie reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Look I'm sorry" Peter apologized.

"It's ok" she answered, nodding with understanding, "your allowed to to be upset".

"I just... I don't know what I'd do if-".

"Peter" she stopped him, "you can't start talking like that". She pulled up a chair and sat next to him, waiting a second while he took in another deep breath and buried his face in his hands for a second before looking back up. "You love her don't you" Jackie spoke.

"Yeah" he sighed, "more than anything".

"Well get her back" she whispered, "well find a way" she added, giving him a pat on the back before walking back out to join the search.

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Martha walked down the stairs to the bottom floor of the house with Rose along side her. "Was it just me or was mum and dad not so happy about hearing that I'm moving out".

"It wasn't just you, like mum was happy for you, but dad didn't take it that well". And she was right, Brett hadn't been too happy about hearing that his daughter was moving to summer bay, he just stood there while Ruth held Martha in her arms and told her that she was now sentenced to visiting often as possible, not that Brett wasn't happy that his daughter was moving on with her life, he really was glad to see her smile, but the last few years had been kinda like getting to know his daughter, he hated himself for not taking on his roll as father when she was growing up, but now he was finding it hard to let go.

"I'm sure he'll come round, he was just in shock" Rose added, trying to make Martha smile, but it didn't work.

"Rose?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

"Well of course I do, I'm going to miss you, but that doesn't mean it's not the right thing. Are you having second thoughts?"

"I don't know" Martha admitted honestly, "it's going to be different... but you know, I want Dylan to have the chance to know his dad" she said as the came into Martha's room and sat down on the end of the bed.

"But what about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, what's in it for you, and don't say nothing cause I saw the way you and Jack were looking at each other across the table earlier. What's going on Marth?"

"Well..." she started.

"Well what?" she encouraged her.

"Well were not exactly.. you know, in a romantic relationship".

"Could of fouled me, and don't you try telling me that your just friends, cause I know thats rubbish".

"Yeah it is rubbish cause were more than friends, were stuck in the middle somewhere".

"Does Jack know this?" Rose asked raising an eye brow.

"Yeah he does, we talked about it, and we both agreed that it's too soon after Serena".

"Oh yeah I almost forgot about her" Rose realized, "what, how long has it been now?"

"About a month and a half" Martha answered before the room when silent for about thirty seconds.

"How do you think she did it?" Rose sighed with he chin rested on her hand.

"Accepted a step son without even having a thought of shock".

"Rose please don't start with the bad step mum thing again, because you reaction is perfectly normal, Serena only reacted differently because she was in a different situation".

"No she wasn't" Rose shot out.

"Yeah she was, ok so yes you both had the same situation of realizing you married into more than you thought you did, but Jack and Serena hadn't even decided what they wanted for their future, you've already started having a family and planing stuff like that, they hadn't. And like you were saying to me and mum before, you don't know if this Janae girl is going to turn up wanting Boyd back, Serena already knew that me and Jack were history at the time".

"I guess so" Rose nodded, putting on a slight smile.

"So no more talk about being a horrible step mum ok?"

"Ok" she agreed.

_Please review and tell me what you think, I'll continue when I've got two._


	40. Still dady's little girl

_Chapter number 40. Still daddy's little girl_

"Hey" Brett greeted Rose and Martha as he entered Martha's room to see them packing some of Martha's stuff, she was really leaving. "Lunch is ready".

"Oh good I'm starving" Rose exclaimed, walking towards the door.

"Well how about you go on up there and leave me and Martha for a minute then?" Brett suggested.

"Alright" she agreed, exiting the room.

Martha folded up some clothes and placed them in her suit case before turning around to see Brett already sitting down on the edge of her bed, then stepping forward she sat down next to him.

"I'm so proud of you sweety" Brett started, "and I'm going to miss you".

"I'm going to miss you too" Martha smiled.

"I still remember that day when we found you again, I still remember you standing at the door of my office. I'll never forget that day" he said honestly.

"Me nether, that was the day I found who my dad really was. But this doesn't mean I'm leaving you, by the sounds of mum's sentence it looks like I'll still be here a lot".

Brett's eyes were watery and he felt like a lump was in his throught, "I just don't want to lose my little girl".

"And your not going to" Martha told him, falling into her fathers arms for a hug, "I'll always be your little girl, I promise" she whispered.

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Peter sat alone in the bedroom of his apartment, he couldn't cry, he was beyond crying, she was gone, he just wished he knew where. He took in a deep breath and prepared for the worst, 'ok Peter, so she left you, get over yourself' his mind told him, 'ok so maybe that's a little hard', he had to convince himself that he was better off, she probably was where ever she'd gone too, 'ok so she sent the email, she set you up, she knew all along that Loyd was alive' he tried to convince himself, but he knew none of that was true. Aimlessly he fell backwards onto his bed, his heart was shattered, he loved her so much that it hurt.

His eyes drifted into the ceiling, looking far beyond it and imagined the sky outside. He could imagine himself flying into space, so far that he couldn't see earth anymore, he could see the stars around him, drifting behind him as he passed them, up ahead was another planet, another world to explore and forget about his problems on earth, not that that was easy, subconsciously Lara was in the back of his mind, it was a little pain reminding him of his heart break.

He moved his hands in front of him, moving them outwards then back in again like he was doing breath stroke through the black empty space, moving towards the planet, which looked like pictures of mars he'd seen, 'perfect' he thought, the planet of men, no women to break his heart and shatter it into a million pieces.

But the closer he got to to the surface, the more thoughts of the real world came back to him, like there was no escape, they ran around his brain, circling around like children, making him feel dizzy. He was falling, falling back the way he came, back to earth, back to reality. The stars were whooshing past him, like they were shooting, they sky slowly turned from black to blue, and he found himself lying on his bed once again, panting in a rage to try and catch his breath.

When he was breathing normally again, he sat up and got up to get a drink from the kitchen, this was a really weird day, nothing seemed right, which make him start to thing he had gone loony. He reached out his hand to open the cupboard and take a glass out, then it hit him, 'what if...' he thought, 'what if she didn't choose to leave?'

Realizing this Peter stopped what he was doing and grabbed his keys, he had to find her, he didn't know where he was going to look, but he'd just have to try.

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"Lara!" Jemma shot out after lying on the ground in silence for the last hour.

"What?" Lara asked, seeming shocked at noise finally being present in the room.

"It came undone" she exclaimed, lifting up her hands that were untied.

"Oh my gosh, undo me" she begged, sitting up and turning her back to her so she could untie the hands from behind her back.

"Ouch, he's done yours tight... hang on... got it" she spoke loosening the rope so Lara's wrists could be releaved.

"Thanks".

"That's ok, now if only it was so easy to get these feet undone" she muttered, reaching down to try and unknot her feet, as Lara did the same. Before long they were free, leaving the building as carefully as possible, ready to face the bush, Lara just hoped Jemma knew what she was doing, cause she didn't have a clue where they were.

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Martha, Jack, Ruth, Brett and Rose all sat around the Macklin's dinning room, lunch was finished, finally, Ruth had cooked a lot, she wanted to make sure her daughter's last meal living under their roof was one to remember, and it was safe to say she wouldn't, they'd all been so full they swore they'd never eat another Italian meal or piece of chocolate cake again.

"So how does it feel to be free again?" Brett asked, trying to make conversation while the girls gossiped at the other end of the table about... well Brett wasn't quite sure really, he always found it hard to understand the way they carried on.

"Well I'll never take home cooked food for granted that's for sure" Jack joked.

Brett chuckled slightly, "so I'm guessing it's as bad as hospital food there?"

"Worse" Jack answered imediently, "half the stuff there made me want to spew".

"So how's everything else then, you must be happy to be back with your family again" Brett continued, he'd never really had time to get to know Jack, when ever he hadn't been in jail, he and Martha hadn't been in speaking terms, so the Holden's house had been a no go zone, but now it looked like he'd be spending a lot of time with him, not just because of Dylan, it was obvious that things were going well between his daughter and Jack.

"Yeah, it's been great, I just wish my brother would hurry up and get back from his honeymoon, he pretty much took off right after I got back. Seeing Dylan again has been great too".

"Yeah his a good kid" Brett smiled.

"Yeah, I just wish I'd had more chance to get to know him in the past. You know, the more I see of him the more I realize how much he's like his mother" Jack commented, looking in the direction of Dylan sitting at the table a few seats down from him.

"True, he is a lot like her" Brett admitted, "but some how I don't think he got his half crocked smile from her, it's always amazed me how he does that, what's the secret?".

Jack chuckled, "well that, is a secret not even all us crocked smiling Holden's know the answer too".

Brett and Jack grew silent again and the sound of the girls up the other end of the table could be heard, Brett looked around and watched his daughter, she was so happy, which made him smile, he just wished she wasn't leaving.

Jack noticed this, seeing where Brett was looking, "your going to miss her aren't you?"

"Yeah I am" he admitted, "take care of her".

"I will" Jack promised, "I promise I won't let anything happen to her".

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Boyd sat out the front of one of the coffee shops in Sydney, across the round mettle table was his daughter. He lifted his mug up and took another sip if the warm coffee, he didn't really know what to say, he hardly knew her, so he thought of the first thing that came to mind, "so I forgot to ask how your mum was going, how is she?"

"She's ok I guess, I haven't actually spoken to her since I left".

"Left as in moved out of home?" Boyd seemed shocked, he'd just presumed that Janae had come down with her and was staying with her.

"Well... yeah" Danielle managed to get out, she knew how bad it looked, like a complete rebel, not exactly the impression she had dreamed of giving her father when she finally met him, the truth was she'd already tried ever way to still stay with her mum and find her dad, but her mum wouldn't have a bar of it, she'd just say the same old line she always used, 'if he wasn't prepared to stick around then he's not worth looking for after all these years'.

"Why didn't you say so, we could of let you stay with us, we've got plenty of room" Boyd offered, luckily he hadn't given any impression of thinking of her differently, that would of left Danielle with a lot of explaining to do, and she didn't really want to bring up all her problems with her mum.

"I don't think that's really the best idea dad, I mean, Rose didn't seem to happy when I turned up" she said nervously.

"She was shocked, you have to realize it's a big thing for her too" Boyd told her.

"Yeah I know, which is why I don't think I should rush in".

"fair enough, so where are you staying then?"

"Just down at one of the hotels around the corner".

"Well, if your not going to move in then at least come and meet your little step sister".

"I've got a step sister?" she smiled with excitement.

"Yeah only just, she's not that old yet".

"Well I can't wait to meet her then".

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"Where the hell are we Jem?" Lara asked, so far they'd been trudging through the bush for about an hour, and every tree seemed to look the same as the last.

"Not to far now" she told her, "don't worry we'll get there" she smiled looking around at Lara behind her. "So does any of this look familiar to you?" she asked when they came to a clearing and found the old shed that her and Peter had been led to in the first clue.

"Yeah it does" Lara smiled looking around the area, then she came cross something, it ... it was Peter's car. "Oh my gosh".

"What?"

"Peter" Lara gasped, running over to the empty car and looking inside, he wasn't there, "where is he?"

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Jack walked into the spare room of the Holden's house, well it was Martha's room now. He placed her suit case down next to her bed and sat down next to her, "thanks" she smiled.

"For what?"

"For everything, I'm glad were doing this" she said lovingly.

"Good, cause so am I, I wouldn't want you to be anywhere else... unless of course you get lonely and decide to bunk in with me" he tease, wrapping on arm around her and kissed her om the cheek.

"What are you trying to say?" she flirted back, also wrapping an arm around him, "Are you saying this confused relationship is... well... flexible?"

"Maybe" he answered, raising his eyebrows quickly, "well just have to wait and see".

"Are you trying to seduce me constable?" she asked, looking right into his eyes, she didn't know what had gotten into her, but Jack didn't seem to mind.

"And why do you ask that?" he asked cheekily, moving closer to her, he couldn't help himself and he found himself moving his hand to move a piece of stray hair behind her ear where it belonged.

There eyes locked and the harmless flirting stopped, Martha found herself pulling him in, her arms were around his neck, giving easy access for her hands to push the back of his head so he was closer.

Jack cupped her face, he needed her, he needed her now. His heart raced and he had an urge to pull her right into it, but he held onto the moment of there gaze fixed and there faces in such a close proximity that he could feel her warm breath on his face.

Martha captured Jacks lips with hers, kissing him tender and sweet. But this didn't stop her from pulling him in more and more, there body's getting firmer and firmer against each other. Her heart was jumping inside, last night she thought she couldn't be happier when Jack asked her to move in, but she was wrong; now she couldn't be happier.

Jack reacted to her kiss imediently, running his hands up and down her back, drawing her in. He could feel her lips moving under his and her hands running through his hair, this only proceeded to turn him on even more, and before he realized what he was doing, he was on top of her and he could feel her hands on his chest, beginning to undo the buttons on his shirt. He pulled away slowly, looking at her beautiful face that lay under him, her hair fell loosely around her face and he could see her eyes sparkling back at his. "I should probably let you unpack" he whispered. He wasn't rejecting her, his voice made sure of that, he wasn't unsure ether, but now probably wasn't the time, for all they knew Dylan could come racing in any minute.

"Yeah, you probably should" she agreed, still smiling uncontrollably as Jack sat up before he grabbed her hand to help her sit up too.

He held her in his arms for a second, lowering his mouth to her ear, "are you sure you don't want to stay in my room?" he whispered before lowering further to plant tiny kisses on her neck.

"No I'm not sure" she admitted, moving her neck away slightly, "but it's the way it's going to have to be for the moment".

"Aww" Jack complained, putting on a pleading face.

"No" she giggled, rubbing her nose against his, "but I still love you".

"Good, cause I still love you too" he smiled, "well I should leave you to it then".

"Ok, see you later" she said before he left the room, still with his shirt half unbuttoned and his hair messed up.

Jack closed the door, turning to walk down the hall way to his room, down the end of the hallway at the top of the stairs was Tony, who took one look at Jack and was completely shocked, he just come out of Martha's room looking like that? "I should of guessed" he mumbled to himself, shaking his head to try to get rid of the thought before walking back down the stairs.

_Ok, I hope all thoughts who were itching to see more J&M are happy now. Please review, I won't continue till I've got 2 or more._


	41. Finding peace with the past

_A/N: Thanks heaps for all the reviews, I love reading them and I really appreciate it that you all took the time to review for me. Here's the next chapter._

_Chapter number 41. Finding peace with the past_

"Peter!" Lara cried out, looking around her, what if something had happened to him? What if Jesse had caught him? The thoughts ran through her head, flooding it until tears ran down her face. She wouldn't forgive herself if he'd been hurt looking for her. "Peter" she tried again. Jemma who was behind her laid a hand on her shoulder for support, but some how it wasn't needed when a voice spoke from behind.

"Lara" the voice came, Lara turned around remembering how warm it sounded, it was Peter, standing at the door of the old shed, smiling with complete happiness. She ran to him, falling straight into his arms where she belonged, she wasn't going to let go, not ever.

"I thought I was never going to see you again" she cried, sobbing into his shirt.

"Well you did, I'm just glad your back where you belong" he whispered, running his fingers through her hair, holding her close to him. He'd got her back, just when he thought he'd lost her, this was something he'd only dreamed about all day, no trip to mars was better than this.

She lifted her head up to look at his face, the same smile was still there; smiling at her, his warm eyes shone back at her's making her smile through her tears.

Peter whipped the small droplets away that ran down her cheeks, then gently he cupped her face, bringing her closer until she was so close he could feel her breath. Then he kissed her, promising to make up for the hours of fear that they'd both just been through, separated from each other.

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Rose sat next to Danielle on the couch, Boyd had just gone to get Izzy from down stairs, leaving the pair in an orquad silence. "So is your mum in town with you then?" Rose asked breaking the silence.

"No" Danielle explained, "she's still back home".

"She let you come by yourself?"

"No, she didn't, she doesn't actually know I'm here". Inside Danielle felt like hitting herself across the head, 'damn, the rebel thing again, dad might not have picked it up, but she probably will' she said to herself, "You probably think I'm a rebel now don't you?"

"No, not at all" Rose had already made up her mind about Danielle, she was a lost girl trying to find her place in the world, and that involved finding her dad. "So why did you leave then?"

"Well... lets just say we don't see eye to eye, she always told me that she tried to find dad when she found out she was pregnant, but then she'd always say something else like were better off with Fred. I hate Fred" she sighed.

"Who's Fred?"

"My step dad, I hate him" she shot out, "he always like to make everyone think that we get along, but as soon as Mum's out of the room he always tells me how useless I am, it's pretty obvious Mum thinks I'm useless too" she continued before speaking softer, "she'd believe him over me any day, she probably hasn't even noticed I'm gone" she spoke, a tear escaping her eye.

Rose looked at the young girl stairing of into space, she was lost, not that her mother had obviously cared, by the sound of her she was probably self centered, not caring about people around her, well she probably cared about Fred, but her own daughter even seemed left out, which to Rose wasn't acceptable, Fred didn't sound much better ether, she already had a picture in her mind of a teachers pet, happy and perfect when people were looking, but horrible and mean when there backs were turned.

Rose placed a hand on Danielle's back, "Your not useless" she reassured her.

"Yeah I am" she sobbed, "I'm baggage that gets dragged along with the parents".

Rose shock her head, "no your not, your much better than that".

"You don't mean that" she answered, putting herself down again.

"Yeah I do, look I know I might of sounded horrible the other day, but I was just shocked, I still am to be honest, but I'd never think of you as baggage or anything like that" she told her pulling her in for a hug letting Danielle cry into her shoulder.

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Jack walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, water droplets were still running down his bare chest. He stepped into his room, whipping off any remaining water before slipping on a pair of jeans and a blue shirt that were sitting on the end of his bed. "So..." he sighed, looking around the room, this was the first time in the two days he'd been out of prison that he'd actually had time to stop and look at the place he and Serena had shared.

On the small shelf on the wall was a picture of the two of them on their wedding day, he still remembered it a clear as day. No family had been there, they hadn't even met Serena yet. He'd met her there on the Gold coast only two months before in one of the pubs, both had gone there that night to drown their sorrows.

-

_2010..._

_Jack sat alone at a table in a crowded pub taking yet another mouthful of his beer when a stranger sat down beside him. It was a male who looked about Jack's age, he had light brown hair and seemed very... well, interested in Jack._

"_Hey mate, I'm Zack" he introduced himself._

_Jack, totally oblivious to the fact that this guy had the hots for him, just smiled and introduced himself, "nice to meet you, I'm Jack"._

_In the distance behind Zack, Jack could see a blond girl sitting in one of the bar stools, she looked around at him and smiled before turning back to talk to the guy behind the bar, little did Jack know, the blond girl was laughing at him, she knew Zack, and she had a fairly good idea that Jack was straight, she'd seen him flirting with a girl at the bar earlier._

_Feeling sorry for him, she got up and made her way to the table where Zack was trying to make a move on Jack, she sat down next to Zack, clearing her throught loudly to get his attention, "Zack maybe you should go for the guy over there, he's more your type" she embarrassed him, sensing a relief from Jack who seemed a little uncomfortable about Zack hitting on him._

_With his cheeks going red, Zack hopped up, "fine, he's all yours then" he told her before walking off._

"_Thanks" Jack said greatfully when Zack was gone._

"_That's ok" she smiled sweetly. Jack could see a twinkle in her eyes, there was something special about her, so Jack did the first thing that came to mind to stop her from going back to talk to the guy at the bar, "so can I bye you a drink?"_

"_Yes please" she accepted, bringing a smile to Jack's face._

_-_

Jack smiled as he remembered that night, it was the first time he'd been able to think about it without feeling sad since Serena had passed, he actually felt quite happy remembering the times before they came to Summer bay to introduce Serena to the rest of the family, well most of it was happy, there were still things he'd never be happy about, well one in particular; the baby that was supposed to be there's.

Serena had been a month and a half pregnant when they got married, to be honest it was the only reason they decided to rush it, they'd been so happy that day, for Jack it had been a new start, an new start that had been captured by the photo that now sat in his hands after removing it from the shelf where it once sat, he ran his thumb over Serena's stomach, you couldn't tell she was pregnant, she wasn't far along enough to be showing, but Jack knew what ha been in there.

They'd lost the baby a month later, July 15th, the day they both hated so much.

_-_

_July 15 2010..._

_Serena sat on the edge of the couch in there hotel room, she was clenching her stomach, there was so much pain. "Jack!" she screamed._

"_Serena, what's wrong?" he asked concerned, coming into the room and sitting down next to her._

"_Somethings wrong with the baby, it hurts like really bad cramps" she managed to get out, she was leaning over so far that she was almost touching her knees, letting out a scream in utter pain._

"_Come on we need to get you to the hospital"._

"_Not yet, it'll probably pass" she insisted._

"_Come on, we need to make sure even if there isn't anything to worry about"._

"_Look Jack it's ok, it's starting to go away" she told him, sitting back up and taking a deep breath._

"_Well we should probably still take you to the doctors for a check up later anyway". Serena just nodded, letting Jack take her in his arms, "you stay here and I'll go get you a drink" he told her, giving her a quick kiss on the for head and lent down to kiss her stomach before getting up, little did he know that that would be the last time he'd kiss there unborn child._

_As soon as Jack left the room to go to the kitchen, the pain came back and Serena rushed to the bathroom, slamming the door. Jack heard this, and rushed to see what was going on, he put his ear up against the bathroom door and heard his wife's crying. "What's wrong Serena?"_

_Serena didn't answer, she was curled up on the floor, blood was surrounding her, she could feel pushing, painful pushing, and the blood continued to come out of her. "Ahh" she screamed._

_Hearing that Jack pushed the door open running straight to Serena's side when he saw her in a heap on the floor, "Serena"._

"_I lost it Jack" she cried, "I lost it"._

_-_

A tear ran down Jack's cheek, that little girl or boy would have been about six months younger than Dylan, they'd always talked about having kids in the future after that, it was probably the only thing that kept them both going.

They hadn't told anyone about the baby though, it was the only way to stop Serena breaking down.

Jack placed the photo back up on the shelf, whipped away the tear and looked down at his left hand, on it was still his wedding ring, gently he slid it off and placed it on the shelf in front of th photo, not to for get, but to move on.

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Peter guided Lara into his office away from Jemma who was being escorted into one of the interview rooms for questioning, hopefully once Jemma told them the truth about everything they'd find a way to lighten her sentence when she showed them where Jesse would probably be. "So how are you feeling now?" Peter asked softly, sitting down and guiding Lara by her hand to sit on his lap.

"I've been better" she answered, trying to smile.

Peter smiled at her in a comforting way, Lara had explained everything about Jemma to him in the car, by the sounds of it she wasn't a criminal at all, she was just a lost girl, trying to find her place in the world, almost like a teenager, just stuck in an adults body. "So you must be hungry".

"Yeah I'm starving".

"Well how about I take you out to lunch then, maybe that will help take your mind off things for a little while" Peter suggested.

Lara smiled, "sounds good, but can I get changed first?"

"Sure, how about we go past your place and I'll go get a few things while your getting changed".

"What kind of things?"

"You'll just have to wait and see, if I told you I'd have to kill you" he smirked, making Lara giggle.

"You Peter Baker would never have the guts to even try and kill me" she teased.

"Well your definitely right about that one".

_I'll continue when I've got 2 or more reviews._


	42. Take a step with me

_Chapter number 42. Take a step with me_

"You look beautiful" Peter smiled as he hopped out from his car to see Lara walking down the stairs from her flat.

"Thanks, you took your time" she called back to him, smiling that he'd finally got there. While he'd gone she'd taken a shower, gotten dresses and still had time to spare. Some how she had a feeling he was going to a lot of effort.

"Yeah well I'm sorry it just took a little longer than I though it would" he apologized, drawing her in, wrapping his hands around her and smiling down at her. She really did look great, well she always did to him, she had her hair down, just the way he liked it, curling nicely around her face. He could feel her arms creeping around his neck, her soft lips moving closer, smiling.

"I'm just glad your here" she whispered, breaking the space between their mouths and capturing his lips in hers and moving one hand to the back of his head to move his head in closer. He responded imediently, running his hands from her hips right up her back, pulling her in closer. Her feet left the ground as Peter brought her up so that her face was in front of him rather than underneath him, that was one of the things that Lara hated about being short; everyone was taller than her.

Peter found himself getting carried away, he ran his hand down until it was holding her thigh, moving it up around his waist. Lara slowly moved her face back so she could look at him, she'd missed him so much, and she also thought about how much she missed teasing him, so gently she untangled her leg and his hand and rubbed her nose against his for a second, "so are we going to go or are you just going to keep looking at me like that?" she smirked.

'Peter control yourself' he told himself, but he couldn't, she was standing there right in front of him, smiling in such a way that she was controlling him, teasing him to the point where he didn't want to talk, he just wanted to kiss her more and more. He knew what she was doing, she was trying to see how long he could resist, gosh she knew how to get under his skin.

"Well lets go then" he answered pulling away, trying to stop himself from going back in. He escorted her around to the passengers side, opening the door like a true gentlemen before hopping in the drivers side.

"So detective where are we off to then?" she flirted.

"Well you'll just have to see when we get there" he grinned.

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Jack walked along to the cliff tops, in his hands was a small round container containing Serena's ashes, his family had left them for him to discard himself when he was ready to; and now he was, it was time to move on properly.

About half an hour ago he'd been to see her grave for the first time, in lost of ways it made himself even more sure that he was doing the right thing, the right thing for everyone, even Serena, she wanted him to be happy.

He came to the edge of the cliff, lifting the lid of the vase like container and tipping it over so that the ashes fell into the ocean like snowflakes, scattering in different directions until they fell beneath the surface out of Jack's vision.

Taking a step back he took in a deep breath, the past was settled now and his future was sitting at home, waiting patiently for his return.

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"Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" Lara spoke softly with her head rested on Peter's chest where they lay on a blanket on the grass, Peter had taken her on a picnic, and she loved it, it was the most beautiful place beside the lake and the small fluffy white clouds in the bright blue sky complimented it all perfectly.

Peter smiled, looking down at her face which was looking up at him, "once or twice". He looked into her eyes, the ones he'd missed so much "you have no idea how much I missed you" he whispered.

"And you have no idea how much I missed you ether" she answered, moving herself up so that her head now rested on his shoulder. "I was so scared when I woke up there and you weren't there to tell me everything would be ok".

"And I'm never letting you out of my sight again" he promised, "nothings going to hurt you now".

"That's a pretty big call, especially since we don't even live together" Lara commented, not realizing that she'd just popped the most brilliant idea into Peter's head. Lara turned back to look at his face which had the most ridiculous smile plastered all over it, "what?"

"Your right it is a big problem" he grinned, suggesting more than he was saying.

"Oh would you just spit it out already".

"Move in with me?"

Lara just looked at him in shock, she didn't see that one coming, they hadn't been seeing each other for that long. She couldn't speak, she didn't know what to say.

"Please say something" Peter begged, he didn't know what she was thinking, she just had the same shocked look on her face that didn't give anything away.

"Oh my gosh I don't know what to say" she exclaimed sitting up with Peter following her lead, "It's so soon".

"Yeah it is soon, but does it really matter? We love each other right?"

"Yeah"

"Well why not?" Peter asked.

Lara thought for a second, he was right, 'why not', today had been a reminder to her just how important living every day was, she'd held back on a lot of things in her life, never really done anything at the spare of the moment, life was about taking chances right?

"Look how about we just forget I said anything and you can have time to think" Peter suggested.

"No" Lara shot out, "I don't need time to think". Peter looked up, waiting for her answer, then he could see a smile coming on her face which made him feel a little more at ease, "I'd love to move in with you Peter".

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Rose, Danielle and baby Izzy sat on the balcony outside the lounge room, Danielle with Izzy in her arms, helping Izzy stand up on her tiny little baby feet. "She's so gorgeous" Danielle smiled.

"Yeah she is" Rose agreed, feeling happy to see Danielle with her sister. "You know what?"

"What?"

"You've both got Boyd's eyes".

Danielle smiled thoughtfully, "yeah i guess we do, I never noticed that".

"Ga ga" Izzy tried to talk, "Mu-mu-ga".

Danielle and Rose laughed at this, "yes we know your still there sweet heart".

"So I forgot to ask before where are you staying?" Rose asked turning her attention back to Danielle.

"Oh just down at the hotel at the corner" she explained.

"All by yourself? We can't have that, come on were booking you out and your staying here" Rose told her.

"You sure?"

"Of course I am, there's no use you staying there when you could be here" Rose told her, looking at the lost girl who seemed like she wasn't so sure about invading them, "you know your always welcome here don't you?" Danielle just nodded, a tear of happiness falling down her cheek. "Good" Rose said, placing a hand on her back, "now come on lets go get your stuff".

_Please review, I'll continue when I've got two or more._


	43. Be with me?

_Chapter number 43. Be with me?_

"Promise this will be quick?" Peter begged as he parked the car outside the police station, Lara left he phone there earlier, and told him she really really needed it, so he'd caved and drove her there on the way home.

"Ok I promise" she answered, promising him with a friendly smile, before getting out as he did also. "Do you think Jemma will still be here?"

"I don't know, she might be" Peter said warmly, wrapping one arm around her shoulders, for her sake he hoped she was still there, he knew what Lara would be like if she didn't get the chance to say good bye.

"Peter" Lara stopped in her tracks.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to be honest with me ok?" she started, looking him right in the eye, she made it clear that she didn't want to be lied to.

"Ok".

"What are her chances of not going to jail?" she asked innocently.

Peter paused for a minute, a more serious look coming upon his face, "not too good I'm afraid".

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Rose carried a bag along the hallway of the bottom floor of the Macklin's mansion, "So this is your room" Rose told Danielle as she opened a door near the end.

"Thanks" she smiled, studying the end of the hallway, the carpet seemed to stop and there was white tiles on the floor which turned left before going down some stairs, "what's down there?" she asked curiously.

"Oh that's the basement" Rose told her, "not that it gets used much, your dad's got tones of his junk in there, it's so full that no one's dared to go in there since the last time Martha attempted to clean it, she only managed to get the few boxes that were hers out".

"Oh ok" Danielle answered, stepping into her new room, taking a look around, it was definitely much better than the hotel, this seemed more like home.

"Well I've got to go and check on Izzy, just give me a yell if you need anything" Rose said, stepping back out before walking back down the hallway.

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Lara stepped into the interview room where Jemma sat, waiting to be taken away, "Hey".

"Hey" Jemma answered, turning around. "I guess you heard then?" she started, she was getting sent to jail for a little while, not as long as she probably deserved, they'd taken some time off for telling them as much as she knew about Jesse.

"Yeah I did" she spoke sadly.

"Lara don't be sad" she smiled, "I'll be back. This is just then end of my old life, and when I come back, I'll be able to start being the person I want to be" she told her.

Lara put on a slight smile and nodded, "yeah I guess so" she agreed, "but I'm still going to miss you".

"Me too, promise you'll come and visit?"

"Try stopping me" Lara said, walking closer and giving her a hug.

"Ok were going to have to make a move" Jackie interrupted, opening the door with another officer, "you ready?" she asked Jemma.

"Yeah, I think so" she answered as the other officer put her in handcuffs.

"Come this way" Jackie instructed, taking her out of the room and through the front room of the station, Lara followed close behind.

"Ok I want you all out there looking for Jesse" Peter's voice could be heard loud and clear in the front room, "anything you find is to be reported straight back to the station, is that clear?" he said as Jackie left with Jemma.

"Yes boss" a chorus of the officers said in unison before leaving on their search.

Peter turned his attention to Lara who was standing in the door of the interview room, he gave her a warm knowing smile and walked towards her, "you can always visit her you know?"

"Yeah I know" she sighed, wrapping her arms around him as he did the same.

"So how about I drop you home so you can get some rest" he suggested.

"Can't you stay with me?"

"I wish I could, but I've got more work to do, I have to make a house visit" he explained.

"Oh" she winged, I though you promise you weren't going to let me out of your sight".

"Well I guess I'll just have to take you with me then" he grinned.

"Sounds good to me. So where ate we going then?"

"Were going to Jack's" he started, "Martha's in danger while Jesse's still out there".

"Yeah, poor girl, she's already been put through enough in the last couple of years".

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Martha sat on the back balcony of the Holden's mansion that overlooked the sea, it was located on top of the hill that went down to the cliff top.

"I thought I might find you here" Jack spoke from behind, smiling lovingly at her.

"You know me too well" she beamed, turning around and leaning against the railing.

"So I had a bit of a think today" he started, moving forward so that he could wrap his arms around her, "and..."

"And what?"

"And" he repeated, removing his left hand from behind her so he could hold up his hand that no longer contained his wedding ring.

"You took off your wedding ring?" Martha asked in surprise.

"Yeah, that's not all though. I scattered Serena's ashes".

"That must have been hard" she spoke, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Not really" he said honestly, "it was kinda good being about to move on, this morning made me think Martha, I needed to move on, I want to be with you... really be with you, not just friends or confused" he whispered.

"Really?"

"Yeah really" he told her, leaning forward so that he could whisper in her ear, "I want you to be my girlfriend".

Just those words made Martha's heart skip a beat, she could feel him up against her, just like this morning, it felt nice, well if she had to be honest, it felt a lot more than nice, he was breathing on her neck, kissing her as he made his way up her neck and along her check to her mouth where he stopped in wait for her response.

She couldn't help herself, she leaned forward, giving him the exact response he had been hoping for, she captured his lips in hers, wrapping her arms around hi neck and let him sweep her off her feet to carry her inside where he sat her down next to him on the couch. "So is that a yes?" he said hopefully.

"You bet it is" she grinned, snuggling into his shoulder, "as if I could say no to you".

"I can't believe how lucky I am, this time two days ago I was still sitting in jail, and now things couldn't be more perfect" he smiled, gazing into her eyes before they were interrupted by the sound of the door bell.

"Let's just ignore that" Martha suggested, cupping Jack's face and kissing him again, but then it rang again, "alright already were coming" she yelled, who ever it was was going to have to have a damn good reason for coming now of all times.

Jack got up with Martha following him down the stairs and through the living room to the door, "Hey" he greeted a not so happy Peter and Lara, "is everything ok?"

"I'm afraid not" Peter frowned, "I need to talk to you, to both of you actually" he added, looking at Martha who was standing close behind Jack.

"Ok come in" Jack told them, letting them through, some how he didn't think he was going t like this, there was trouble written allover Peter's face.

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"Get in there" the prison guard ordered, pushing Jemma into her cell before locking the door and walking off. Jemma turned around to face the small grey room like cell, there was a bed in the corner and a small shelf on the back wall. Next to her near the bars was a wooden chair, carelessly she slumped into it sighing as she looked out the metal poles in front of her.

"Jemma" a familiar voice quivered in the almost dead silence of the building, "Jemma", it repeated a bit louder. She could of recognized that voice from a mile off, she knew it all too well; it was Matt.

Slowly she turned her head to the left, the side wall was only half concrete, the half closet to the front was bars, she could see straight through to the nest cell, and there at the edge stood Matt, smiling sweetly at her, she knew she couldn't give in, it would be too dangerous, probably deadly, so she turned her face straight back to look at the corridor in front of her.

"Jemma please" Matt begged he missed her so badly, he wanted more than anything to take back the things he'd done to hurt her, he wanted things to be the way they used to be all that time ago when there was nothing more to care about than them being together, but he couldn't take it back, it was done.

"I know I let you down, I should have been more of a husband to you" he started, still Jemma didn't budge, "you have every right to leave the way you did, I know why you did it, I probably would of too if I was in your situation... Please Jemma say something" he pleaded, but still got no answer. He was hurting inside, she was in pain and he could see it, a tear ran helplessly down her cheek, and he couldn't wipe it away like he used to.

"Loosing you was the worst thing that ever happened to me Jem, it really was, and it made me wake up to myself too, I made a fresh start, the only thing that was missing was you" he continued, "I love you so much" he whispered, feeling tears run down his face, still waiting for her to speak.

"I used to love you" Jemma said coldly, still not even turning to look at him, "But then the man I fell in love with went away and got replaced by someone who couldn't care less about me".

Matt felt his heart breaking, she was right, he become someone he wasn't.

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"What so it was Jesse?" Martha exclaimed, "but, but, how?"

"We've already told you everything we know, he thinks that by doing all this you'll some how thank him and fall in love with him" Lara explained.

"That guy's got issues" Jack jumped in, still feeling disgusted.

"You got that right" Martha agreed, "do you really think he would hurt me?"

"I don't know" Peter said honestly, "that guy's capable of anything, I just hope we can catch him".

"So is that all we need to know?" Jack asked.

"Yeah it is" Peter told him, standing up,. "just make sure you're careful ok?" he said to Martha.

"Ok" she said nervously.

"Could I have a word outside please" Jack asked Peter.

"Yeah sure" he replied, stepping outside with Jack and left Lara with Martha, "what is it".

"I want to come back to work" Jack shot out.

"Yeah and you'll be back in two weeks".

"No I mean I want to come back to work now" he explained, "I want to catch this guy, I can't let him hurt her".

"Jack if you don't want him to hurt her the best thing you can do is to stay here" he told him, "look just imagine if you were out there and Martha was home alone, he could do anything to her, just remember that".

"Ok" Jack agreed.

"Come on Lara were going" Peter called out.

_Author note: I'll be away from the 13th of November until the 17th so there won't be any updates until after I get back. Please review._


	44. The closest thing

_Hey everyone I'm back, thanks for the reviews._

**Warning: may contain adult themes.**

_Chapter number 44. The closest thing_

A week later

No one had heard from Jesse since before Lara had escaped, Peter had even been back to see if Jemma knew anything else but she wasn't any help. Jack had been worried sick, all he could think about was if something happened to Martha, he'd only just got her back, he didn't want to loose her again. Martha and Jack hadn't told Dylan anything about it, they didn't want him to be scared about it, he'd already been through enough when Sean had taken him away from Martha at birth until he was two and a half. Beth and Tony hadn't taken it well ether, they'd gone to the extent in getting extra security around the place, now there were camera's at all the entries to the house.

Alf and Morag hadn't really gotten their heads around it, Martha had just been to tell them and they'd offered to look after Dylan so that there was less for her to be worried about back home. And that's where Martha was headed now.

She pulled up in the front car park and hopped out, "come on Dylan" she said, opening the door for him, she'd started putting a child lock on it ever since he was three and found it amusing to open the door while they were driving.

"Ok, mummy" he answered cheerfully, hopping out, he loved coming to visit his great grandfather and great great Auntie Morag.

"Hello" Alf called out from his front veranda where he and Morag were sitting having cups of tea while they argued over the latest court case that Morag had heard about from a friend of hers who hadn't retired yet.

"Hey" Dylan squealed running along the path to where the little cottage like house was at the end of the first row.

"Dylan slow down, try not to trip ov-" Martha started, but didn't get to finish cause he'd done exactly what she'd always told him not to.

"Owwww" he cried where he sat on the ground with a grazed knee.

"Sweet heart" Martha called out as she ran to where he was, by then Morag had already gotten to him and was helping him up.

"Lets get you inside hey" she suggested, "I'll get him cleaned up, you go and relax ok?"

"Sure?" Martha asked.

"Yes, go home to Jack and stop worrying" she ordered.

"Yes Mum" she chuckled before giving Dylan a kiss on the head and walked back down the path along the front of the cottages that led to the car park.

"Martha" a voice called out from one of the middle cottages, it was Colleen.

"Hey Colleen" Martha said, faking a happy smile, gosh she was kidding herself if she thought she could get away quickly.

"Oh dear, it was terrible hearing about that Jesse, you must be terrified" Collen said in her worried voice as she made her way out to the foot path, hobbling along with her walking stick.

"Yes that was terrible indeed" Madge Wilkinson agreed sipping her tea from where she sat on the veranda.

"Yeah it is a bit scary, but I really have to go" Martha insisted.

"No you must stay and have a chat, it's not often we get visitors" Colleen told her, almost like she didn't have a choice, and reluctantly she walked over to the veranda and sat down with Colleen and Madge.

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"Hey can I give you a hand?" Danielle asked, walking into the kitchen where Rose was washing up dishes.

"Yeah sure" she smiled, chucking her a tea towel.

"So how's Martha today?" Danielle asked, she'd heard a lot about all the stuff with Jesse, Rose had been really worried about her.

"She seems ok, but you can tell she just want this all to be over with" she answered.

"Yeah anyone would".

"So did you see the letter on the bench for you?" Rose asked.

"Yeap" Daniele said quickly, not even looking up from the plate she was drying.

"did you read it?"

"Nope".

"Dani, she's your mum, you can't ignore her forever" Rose told her, stopping what she was doing and looking at her.

"Yeah I can, it's not like she ever cared about me" she said softly, placing the plate down on the bench.

"Hey, I'm sure she does deep down" Rose encouraged her.

"You don't know her like I do, she never loved me" she explained, looking down.

"How could she not love you" she told her, "Danielle look at me, you are a beautiful girl with a good heart, and anyone can see that" she reassured her giving her a hug.

Danielle couldn't help but let out a few tears, "that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me... you know your the closest thing I've ever had to a real mum".

Rose looked down at the teenage girl in her arms, she couldn't help but shed a few tears herself, Janae really had messed her up.

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"Oh thank god your home I was starting to get worried" Jack exclaimed as Martha finally came though the door.

"Yeah I'm sorry, I was trying to get away quicker" she told him seeming frustrated.

"What's the matter?"

"I got held up by Colleen and Madge" she explained resting her head on Jack's chest and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Oh let me guess, they wanted gossip?" Jack groaned, he really wished people like them would leave her alone, she needed to keep her stress levels down.

"Yeah" she sighed, "I'm just glad I'm home now" she smiled.

"Yeah me too, I thought Jesse had gotten you" he said, releasing his grip around her and guiding her to sit down on the couch next to him.

"Well he didn't, it's going to be fine" she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss.

"I might need some more convincing" he tease, closing his eyes as he took them back into another gentle kiss.

"Looks like we've got the house to ourselves" Martha purred in Jack's ear before kissing a line along his neck.

"Mmm" was all he could get out, he could feel her mouth moving on his skin, it make him shiver with pleasure, "so what did you have in mind?" he said breathlessly.

"Well how about I show you?" she smirked, moving her head back up and capturing his lips again before pushing him down so that she was laying on to of her, then gently she ran her hand down his neck and to his chest, undoing the buttons as she went along.

Jack lost all control as she undid the last one and opened up his shirt, he moved him hands quickly from where they were rested on her sides to the bottom of her shirt and played with the hem as he slowly moved him hands up underneath it.

Just then the door opened and there stood a very shocked Maddie and Lucas. "Um" Lucas shot out.

Martha and Jack looked up, and both sighed, yet again for the millionth time this week they'd been interrupted, Peter had started a trend.

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Peter stumbled into the pub at Greensville with Lara beside him, it'd been another day of searching that had still done nothing. "You want anything?" Lara asked him.

"Just a coke" Peter answered sitting down at one of the tables while Lara made her way to the counter.

She looked at the people sitting at the bar stools and was shocked at who she saw, carefully she walked back to Peter, sat down next to him and whispered in her ear, "Peter he's here".

"What?"

"Jesse's here, at the bar" she repeated.

Peter looked around to the bar and spotted Jesse looking to the guy beside him. "I'll handle this" Peter told her, getting up and coming up behind Jesse, "Nice for you to finally show your face".

Jesse looked around to see Peter looking over at him, "Peter long time no see" he exclaimed trying to sound cool about the whole situation, but Peter didn't budge, instead her grabbed him and pinned him to the floor on his stomach, handcuffing his hands behind his back.

Then he grabbed the chain that attached the handcuffs and pulled Jesse to his feet, dragging him out of the pub with Lara following close behind.

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An hour later

"So anyone want more cake?" Beth asked at the dinner table.

"Yes please" Lucas answered handing his plate to her.

"Your such a pig" Maddie told him.

"And you love me anyway" he grinned.

"That I do" she agreed.

"Hey guys" Tony interrupted as he entered the room, "I just got off the phone to Peter and they've caught Jesse" he announced.

"Well that's wonderful news" Beth exclaimed.

Jack turned to Martha who was sitting next to him and smiled, just like she was, "see I told you I'd be ok" she grinned.

"Yeah, and you are, I just wish none of it happened at all, it's been a stressful week".

"Yeah and the number of times we got interrupted was shocking" she said a little quieter so that no on else could here, "but I'm sure that can change" she smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack asked innocently.

Martha leaned close and whispered softly, "come to my room after everyone's gone to sleep and find out" she told him before reaching out to take the champaign glasses Beth was holding out for her and Jack.

"Well I think I can drink to that" Jack said, holding up his glass as Martha did the same.

"Cheers".

_Please review. I'll continue when I've got at least two._


	45. Not over yet

_Chapter number 45. Not over yet_

Jack opened his eyes the next morning to find himself in Martha's room. Martha lay in his arms, sleeping peacefully, he couldn't help but smile, she looked so beautiful there with her head rested on his shoulder, her face looked so innocent, so pure and flawless and her lips, even though they were rested fairly normally, seemed to almost smile. He tried not to move, he didn't want to wake her just yet.

Martha's eyes flickered as she took in a deep breath as she woke. It took her a second to realize that she wasn't alone this morning, she hadn't woken up with someone by her side since before she ran away from the bay seven years ago when she was still nineteen. It felt nice with him there, looking down at her and smiling, "good morning beautiful" he spoke warmly, "did I wake you?"

"No" she smiled peacefully snuggling her head up against Jack's bare chest, she felt so happy today, the sun was shinning through the window and already in the ten seconds of her being awake she was feeling as happy as a child with a bag of lollies, "last night was amazing" she said honestly running her hand up his chest.

"Mmm, it was" he murmured feeling relaxed, reaching his hand down softly to touch Martha's jaw line and gently guide her face up to meet his lips.

Martha cupped his face as she moved her entire body up, "I love you so much" she mumbled with her lips still joined with his.

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"Well it's about time you two got up" Tony said as Jack and Martha made there way out to the kitchen, "where did you get to Jack, I checked your room and you weren't there?"

"Um, u I, u" Jack started.

"I don't think we want to know" Lucas butted in, shaking his head and turning back around to eat more of his cereal.

"I agree" Maddie added, looking down at her bowl.

Tony looked at Jack and Martha both standing there, he looked to Jack, then to Martha, then back to Jack again. A flashback came to hims mind, he suddenly remembered the day just over a week ago when he saw Jack coming out of Martha's room looking a bit messed up. "Oh" he managed to say, "well anyway there's more breakfast on the bench, help yourselves".

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"Waaaaaaaaa" Izzy cried at the top of her lungs in the living room of the Macklin's Mansion where the whole family was getting ready for the day, "waaaaaaaaaaaaaa".

"Well someone's in a great mood today" Boyd grumbled sarcastically as he lifted Izzy out of her play pen.

"Yeah and has been all last night" Rose mumbled as she waked across to the kitchen still half asleep.

"Hey was she keeping you up last night?" Boyd asked, putting Izzy back down after she'd settled and walked over behind her into the kitchen.

"yeap" she sighed, lifting the milk out of the fridge and putting it down on the bench.

"Well how about I mind her for the day and you can get some proper rest" he suggested, wrapping his arms around her from behind and planting a kiss on the side of her head.

"you sure?" she asked turning around so that she could see him.

"Yes I am, you just get the sleep you need alright" he told her, rubbing his nose against hers.

"Ok" she agreed, "I might worry about breakfast later than" she told him before giving him a hug and heading back downstairs to bed.

"So did Izzy keep anyone else up last night?" Boyd asked as he rentered the lounge room where Bret, Roo and Danielle were sitting on the couch.

"Not really" Danielle answered looking up from her book, "I hear her one or twice" she added before hearing the door bell ring. "I'll get it" she offered hopping up and going down the stairs quickly to see who it was.

When she opened it she got the shock of her life, "m... mum?"

Boyd walked over to the top of the stairs to see what all the fuss was about only to see the exact person he wanted to avoid, "Janae what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get my daughter" she snapped, not looking to pleased at all, grabbing Danielle's arm and trying to pull her towards her.

"I'm not going anywhere with you" Danielle protested.

"Oh yes you are sweetheart".

"No she's not!" Rose's furious voice entered the room as she came up the other set of stairs to see Janae at the door.

"Long time no see Rose" Janae faked a smile.

"Not long enough" Rose mumbled under her breath.

"Well come on Dani, Fred's got the car waiting" said Janae.

"Well why don't you hurry along then, I'm sure you'll both be very happy without me".

"Dani" Janae pushed.

"She's not going anywhere" Boyd repeated as he made his way down the stairs and behind Danielle.

"Fine, but you better get your self a good lawyer, cause you'll be hearing from mine soon" she warned, holding her shoulders high, straightening up her jacket and turning to walk away all high and mighty.

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Jack walked down the drive way of the Holden's place near the beach of Summer bay, he opened the letter box and removed the mail from it, flicking through it as he walked back towards the house, one of them was just a folded up piece of paper, no envelope or address on it, just a piece of paper.

Jack unfolded it quickly, on it was only one line:

_It's not over yet, you better watch your back._

Seeing this Jack panicked and rushed back inside, feeling a little more at ease when he saw Martha still sitting at the breakfast table laughing at his brothers stupid jokes.

"Wow, you ok Jack? You look like you just saw a ghost" Lucas teased him.

"We need to call Peter" he spat out.

"What? Why? What's going on?" Martha asked, looking concerned as she walked towards him, he handed her the piece of paper he had read and waited anxiously as she read it, her face going from happy to scared, "It's not over yet is it?"

Jack just shock his head, "I'm afraid not".

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Beth was humming happily to herself as she stood behind the counter of Noah's bar.

"So how's my favorite girl today?" Tony asked as he came up to the other side of the bench.

"Excellent" she smiled, "this Christmas party is going to be a blast".

"Don't get to excited, it's still another three weeks away" Tony laughed, "and besides, we've still got to focus on a big even in two weeks remember?"

"Yeah of course, I haven't forgot Jack's birthday, how olds he going to be again?"

"thirty one" Tony told her.

"Wow they grow up quick don't they?"

"Yeah tell me about it".

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Half an hour later

Peter walked down the cold building of the local prison, he had to act quick, he'd got a phone call from Jack just before he came about a letter they'd received in the mail. It couldn't be from Jesse, he'd been in top security since his arrest, there had to be someone else... he didn't know who, but there was more too this than Jemma had told them, that's why he was here now, he had to get more out of her, he had to find out the whole truth.

He came to the cell she was locked in, number fifty five just like the guard had told him, and there she sat on her chair, bored and tired, "hey" she smiled, she hadn't had many visitors, and when she did she didn't want them to leave, she needed anyone to talk to to stop her thinking about Matt who was still in the cell next to her.

"Hey Jemma, mind if I ask you a few more questions?" Peter asked pulling up a chair on the other side of the bars and sitting down.

"Not at all what's wrong?"

"Well Jack Holden got some disturbing mail today and I was wondering if there was any other contacts Jesse had that could still be out there" he explained.

"I wouldn't be able to answer that one properly for you, he had many contacts, but I never had anything to do with them, they were always kept very tight lipped and he never put more than one of his associates in the same room as him at a time" she told him, "sorry I wish I could give you the answer you wanted".

"Thats ok, just one more question though" he started, "did you ever hear any of his conversations with any of these other contacts?"

"No sorry, like I said it was all very tight security" she answered shaking her head.

Peter nodded, getting up on his feet and turning to go before Jemma stopped him, "I can tell you something though" she grabbed his attention, "he's got an office underneath the basement he kept me and Lara in, it's under the wooden book case that's not attached to the wall, anything that might help you would be in there".

_Please review, I'll try my best to update when I've got two or more._


	46. I couldn't let myself

_Sorry guys I just realized that instead of adding chapter forty five I added another chapter forty four, so it's there now. Anyway here's chapter forty six._

_Chapter number 46. I couldn't let myself_

Two weeks passed in Summer bay, Jack's birthday party was tomorrow at the Holden's place, Tony and Beth had insisted on doing something for him. Janae hadn't lived up to her promise of taking Boyd to court, her lawyer had pretty much looked at the case and told her that cause Danielle was over twelve and didn't want anything to do with her that she'd have not hope what so ever in winning. Martha had moved her stiff into Jack's room finally, Jack had insisted that she did before he turned thirty one. Izzy was back to normal sleeping patterns and Rose was getting a full nights sleep again. And as for Colleen and Madge Wilkinson in the retirement village, well they'd been there usual selves again, Morag had even started locking the doors during the day and pretending that her and Alf weren't home to try and stop being visited by them.

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Danielle sat on the end of her bed reading her book, well she was kind of reading it anyway, her mind wasn't concentrating properly, she had to many other things to think about; her mum for starters, she couldn't believe the fuss she'd caused over the last few weeks. There was also the suggestion that her dad had made this morning; going back to school, she knew she had too, but she really didn't see the point, not this year anyway, there was only a week left which Boyd realized, but he'd told her that she'd have a better chance of making more friends before next year.

Down the hall way Izzy's loud cry could be heard, Rose was out for the morning to Danielle put her book down and went to leave the room. As she got to the door way she heard footsteps coming up the stairs from the basement, she didn't know why, but she felt uneasy about it, no one ever went down there, well not that she knew of anyway. She stepped back in her room and watched as her dad went passed without even noticing her or looking in, he seemed distracted, like he'd been working on some hard jobs and his brain had gone to mush. He opened Izzy's door which was next to Danielle's and walked in, lifting Izzy out of her cot and holding her gently to settle her.

"Dani, I'm just going to take Izzy for a walk ok?" he called out.

"Ok" she called back sitting back down and pretending to still be reading her book in case he came to check on her, but he didn't and about a minute later she heard the sound of the front door closing.

Danielle put her book back down stepping forward and looking out into the hall way both left and right too make sure the coast was clear, there was something about that basement that she wasn't quite sure about, it seemed so isolated and secluded, not that that wouldn't be unnormal, but there was something about it that puzzled her.

She stepped out of her room, turning to the right to reach the end of the carpet that turned to tiles before turning left and down a small stair way. The tiles were white, perfectly lined and not a foot mark on them, the walls cream to compliment them. As she reached the bottom she slowly took the last few steps before she reached the wooden dull blue painted door. She reached one hand out to the silver door nob, placing it gently on the top before moving to turn it, but it didn't budge. So she tried again, with more force this time, then with two hands using all the muscle she had she finally opened it, hearing the rusty creeping sound it made as it moved... then she stopped, looking puzzled, she'd heard that sound before, she'd heard it every night at midnight... someone had been in here a lot, which wasn't what Rose had first told her, she'd said it was never used. Feeling a sudden fright come over her, Danielle closed it steadily again, taking in a deep breath before proceeding to reach out and open it again.

"Well she was easy to put to sleep" Boyd commented as he walked back through the front door, Danielle panicked and ran straight back to her room berrying her nose straight back in her book before Boyd could look down the hall way.

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"So is that the last one then?" Peter asked Lara as he carried the last suit case into his flat, Lara was finally moving in today.

"Yeap, it sure is" she smiled, "I'm so glad were finally doing this" she sighed, bringing him into a warm hug and resting her head on his chest.

"Yeah me too" Peter grinned

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"So big guy how does it feel to be thirty one?" Martha tease as she wrapped her arms around Jack from behind him where he stood at the kitchen bench, even though his party wasn't until tomorrow, his birthday was today, and so far Jack hadn't been to happy, well not that he had time to think about his age properly, he was more worried about Martha, the longer it took for something to happen the more well planed it would be, thats if Jesse or who ever sent the letter was planning anything, for all he knew they could just want him scared.

"Well pretty depressing really" Jack grumbled.

"Aww, does Jacky boy need some cheering up?" Martha said in a baby voice.

Jack turned around to face her just nodded, he usually would of gone along with her silliness, but right how he couldn't really see the silly side of life.

Martha saw this and suddenly her face turned serious, she looked down at her feet for a second before looking back up at him, "Jack I'm going to be fine".

"How did you know I was thinking about that?"

"Maybe cause it's the same thing you've been thinking about for the last two weeks... Look Jack he's just trying to scare us, he's in top security, Peter's made sure of it" Martha reassured him.

"Yeah I keep telling myself that, but I just can't seem to see it that way, I'm really scared of loosing you Martha, I can't make my brain think of it any other way" he said honestly wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his chest where her head lay.

"How else am I supposed to convince you I'll be fine" she whispered.

"You can't" he admitted, "just stay here with me, I can't let you out of my sight, I couldn't let myself".

_Please review, I'll continue when I've got two or more._


	47. You'll be fine

_Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews, here's the next chapter:_

_Chapter number 47. You'll be fine_

At the entrance of Summer bay drove a very happy Sally, Brad, Ric, Cassie and Pippa, all headed to the caravan park which Brad had managed to bye, Ric and Cassie weren't staying though, they were just helping Sally and Brad move, but none of the less they were glad to be back for the mean time.

"So Pips, do you remember anything now?" Sally asked turning around to look a her eleven year old daughter.

"Nope, doesn't look even remotely familiar" Pippa sighed, "why couldn't we just stay in Perth, all my friends are there, I don't know anyone here".

"Well I'm sure you'll have friends in no time" Brad encouraged her, turning around the corner that lead to the caravan park.

"Yeah Brad's right, they'll love you" Cassie reassured her.

Pippa sighed and put her nose up against the window watching the trees that went past, "well as soon as someone pulls my cheek and tells me that they remember me when I was only this big I'm out of here".

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Jack walked along the path of the park on his way back from the dinner, he sighed as he thought about Martha back home by herself, she'd convinced him that he needed to start giving her some space, he could see where she was coming from too, he'd been over protective of her in the last few weeks.

Up ahead on a park bench sat Tasha, he hadn't seen much of her since he got back from prison, it was like she was avoiding him, "Hey Tash" Jack smiled as he sat down next to her.

"Oh hey Jack I didn't see you there" Tash answered in surprise, "anyway I should probably get going" she added in orquadness, grabbing her back and racing to stand up.

"Tash" Jack stopped her, "why do you keep avoiding me?"

"What? I'm not avoiding you" Tash smiled nervously, almost laughing under her breath.

"Yeah you are" he told her, "Tash just tell me what's going on... is this still about Serena?"

"Jack I just feel so bad" she blurted out, almost looking like she could cry, "It's all my fault, it really is, you must hate me".

"No I don't hate you at all, it wasn't your fault Tash" he said warmly, "hey come on sit down".

Tash just nodded, bitting her bottom lip to try and swallow back her tears, "I can't help it, I gave her that cold Jack, if she hadn't of got it from me then she would still be alive" she explained.

"No Tash, Serena was in a very bad health state, if she hadn't of died from that cold then she would of died from something else".

"Yeah but it was still my cold" Tash pointed out.

"Maybe so, but how do you know that it wasn't from the lady that walks around and says hello to patients and wished them good luck. And besides, it didn't matter whether she got sick, the doctors should of checked her before they put her through Chemotherapy, if anyone's to blame then it's them" Jack sighed.

"I guess" Tash agreed, still feeling guilty. "So how are you holding up then, I mean it must be pretty tough".

"I'm great actually, it's still part of me, but it doesn't hurt" he admitted, "but it's good being able to move on".

"Move on?"

"You know with Martha, things have been great, it's like we picked up right were we left it seven years ago-".

"Wow, wow, wow" hang on a second" Tash stopped him seeming confused, "you and Martha are back on? That's great Jack" she exclaimed with a happy smile.

"Yeah it is" he nodded, "so you coming to my party tomorrow night?"

"You sure you want me there?" she asked seeming hesitant.

"Of course, and I'll say this once more, I don't hate you Tash, the truth is we all miss having you around".

"We?"

"You know, Martha, Dad, Beth, Maddie, Luc" Jack explained. "So is that a yes?"

"Ok" Tash nodded, "I'll be there".

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"So chocolate or caramel?" Beth asked Tony while holding her shopping list on one hand and a pen in the other.

"Um... both" Tony answered leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms.

"Your such a pig" Beth giggled.

"And is there a problem with that?" Tony asked pretending to be offended.

"I guess not" she shrugged as a knock could be heard at the door, "I'll get it" she offered.

"Ok, but if that's more carol singers again then tell them to rack off" Tony told her.

"Oh be nice, what's wrong with carol singers?"

"Nothing, I'm just not in the mood for Christmas songs right now, and the last lot bugged the heck out of me" Tony explained.

"Fair enough she answered as she opened the door and turned around to find a familiar face, "oh my gosh, Scott".

"Hey mum" Scott exclaimed.

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"Hey this isn't actually so bad" Pippa smiled as the came through the front door of the caravan park house.

"See I told you you'd come to like it" Brad told her, puffing his chest out and pretending to be all proud.

"Yeah, but I never believed you" she giggled.

Sally giggled along with her, "aww poor Brady baby, rejected and had his pride torn apart" she teased putting on a baby voice.

"Ok Ric I think we need some more blokes in here" Brad called out, "there ganging up on me" he added while the girls still were in hysterics.

"Sorry your on your own there" Ric laughed as he carried another back through the door.

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Martha drove along the road to the beach, it was a beautiful day and Jack had finally been convinced that she'd be fine as long as she was in public. She pulled up the car in the car park, undoing the seat belt and reaching behind the drivers seat to get her bag, she pulled it to sit on her lap and chucked her keys in there before getting ready to hop out of the car.

Before she could open the door she heard a smashing sound, she looked around to see what it was, only to find a brick on her back seat and glass everywhere.

_I'll continue when I've got two or more reviews_


	48. Covering up

_Chapter number 48. Covering up_

Martha drove quickly through the streets that exited Summer bay to Yabbie creek, she had to get this fixed quickly, she'd cleaned up as much as she could before she left, but one thing she couldn't fix was the fact that her back window was completely gone. Normally she would of just called Jack, but she couldn't, if he, or any of the others found out about this she'd be back to being on a short leash.

A thousand thoughts were running through her mind, she couldn't get her head around all of it, Jesse was in prison, her night mare was supposed to be over, well that's what she had said after the letter Jack found too. It was like who ever this was was try to make a statement, she wasn't safe, not even in public where everyone could see her, she'd never be safe.

She couldn't imagine who was doing this, they were obviously pretty messed up... just like Jesse, they new how to make someone scared, and how to do it when you least expect it.

Then there was the note on the brick... gosh she almost forgot about that, she still remembered pulling it off the string around the brick and reading it, she didn't even want to think about what she had read, it was worse than reading the letter they'd gotten two weeks ago.

Martha took in a deep breath as she pulled into the car park of the service station in Yabbie creek, she just hoped they'd be able to fix it today, she didn't know what she'd do if she had to go home and tell the others why her back window was smashed.

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Boyd sat in the lounge room watching little Izzy as she played on the floor with dangling toys from a bar that was above her head.

"Hey" Rose called out as she came in the front door and made her way up the stairs with the biggest grin on her face.

"Hey, someone's in a good mood" Boyd commented, "where'd you get to?"

"Oh just down to the hospital" she told him calmly sitting down next to him and admiring her beautiful baby girl.

"The hospital?" Boyd repeated, seeming concerned all of a sudden, "is everything ok?"

"Yeah of course it is" she smiled, "Boyd I'm pregnant again".

Boyd stopped for a second to think about what she said properly, then a smile grew on his face, "you serious?"

"Yeah"

"Oh wow, that's wonderful news. Wow I'm going to be a dad again" he beamed, wrapping an arm around Rose.

"Yeah, this kids going to be very lucky too" Rose told him, rubbing her nose against his and giving him a gentle kiss which he responded to imediently.

"Gu gu ga ga" Izzy interrupted them, making them both laugh.

"Don't worry we haven't forgotten you" Rose cooed, "your going to be a big sister, isn't that great hey?"

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Martha walked down the hallway after arriving back at the Holden's, she'd managed to get her window fixed in Yabbie creek after waiting around for about an hour and a half, and now she really needed to rest and a good cry. She stopped when she got to the door of the bedroom that used to be hers before she moved in with Jack, she'd come in here every now and then over the last few weeks when she wanted some quiet time.

Gently she opened the door expecting it to be empty like it always was, but it wasn't, there at the end of the bed was an open suit case and Scott unpacking it.

"Hey" he smiled.

"Oh hey" Martha answered in surprise, "what are you doing here?" she faked a smile coming towards him to give him a hug.

"Oh I thought it might be a nice time to come and visit" he explained.

"So is Hayley here too then?"

"No, her and Noah decided to stay in France this time" he told her, the truth was there were other reasons he was here, in fact Hayley didn't even know he was here, not that he'd seen her in a year.

"Oh ok, fair enough".

"So how are you holding up, I heard you had a bit of a rough time recently".

"Yeah that's a long story" Martha sighed, "I'll tell you later, but I should probably leave you to unpack" she told him turning to leave, she needed to get out of there, she felt like she was about to fall apart, that crying session was calling out for her.

"Alright then" he agreed as she left, not knowing that as soon as she closed the door she began to cry, covering her mouth to try and not make a sound until she reached the bathroom and locked the door.

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Peter wandered his way down the main street of Yabbie creek looking through the shop windows as he passed, he was looking for something in particular, well it had to be if he was actually going shopping for it, usually he dreaded the thought of sales assistants and expensive boutiques, but today was different, today was a very beautiful day.

He opened the door as he came to the shop he was looking for, stepping inside and looking at all the diamonds and gold on display. There was bench tops of glass that held them all, displaying their beauty, all neatly placed in rows. There was so much to chose from, diamonds of pink, purple, blue and red, pearls that were so white and shinny that there wasn't a single flaw in it and lockets that were so neatly calved that it had to be the work of a perfectionist.

"Hello can I help you?" the blond sales assistant asked as he came further into the middle of the shop.

"Yeah I need a bit of help, I'm looking for an engagement ring" Peter smiled.

_Author note: there will only be two more chapters to this fic, please review, I'll do my best to rite more when I've got two or more._


	49. Yes

_Chapter number 49. Yes_

The next day, Lunch time

Peter smiled as he listened to Lara speak from across the table, he was so nervous, not just because it was the first time he'd taken a girl to a fancy restaurant since... well he couldn't actually remember, but more than anything he was worried that she might say no.

Lara giggled as she her a loud crash from the kitchen and a yell from the head chief, in the time that they'd been here already she'd picked up on the fact that the head chief didn't like any stuff ups, and the poor little beginner chiefs had to put up with it.

She looked over at Peter, he hadn't really been himself since he picked her up only an hour earlier, she didn't know what was going through his head, but she wished that he'd let her in, she'd already asked him if he was ok, but he'd simply told her he was.

"So you up for desert?" Peter asked.

"Maybe a bit later" she sighed, "but right now I'm moving over there ok" she told him getting up and sliding her chair around the round table so that she could be closer.

"That's a bit better" Peter smiled, placing his arm around Lara's and drawing her in so that she could rest her head on his shoulder.

"So what's the real reason you brought me to a fancy restaurant Pete? You sure your feeling alright?"

"Yeah of course why wouldn't I be?" Peter answered trying to stay cool and calm.

"Cause it's not usually your thing, and you haven't been yourself all day" she explained.

"Well were all aloud to do something different for a change".

"Yeah I know".

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"So are you sure you've got everything?" Sally asked as she came out the front door of the caravan park to see Brad closing the boot of Cassie and Ric's hire car.

"Yeah, I think so" Ric replied coming over to give her a hug with Cassie close behind.

"Well you two take care ok?" Sally told them starting to look a bit sad, "now if you ever decide for what ever reason that you'd like to come back-"

"Then well call ok, just don't get all teary on us ok?" Ric laughed.

"Alright I'll try not to".

"Well I'm sure we'll come visit soon" Cassie told her as she turned to get in the front passengers seat.

"Ok, let us know when you get there safe" Brad said as Ric too opened the door.

"Yeah we will" Ric called back before closing the door and driving the car away with him and Cassie in it.

"They'll be back" Brad reassured Sally, rubbing her shoulders and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah I know" she answered, giving him a small smile.

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Peter placed another kiss on Lara's head that was nested on his shoulder, they'd been like this since the waitress took there dishes from desert about ten minutes ago. He was still nervous inside, but things had calmed down a little more, and Lara had stopped asking what was going on which was probably a good sign that he was acting normally.

Lara sighed and moved her head to look up at him smiling right at her, things were so perfect and she just wanted to stay like this forever, she could feel Peter holding her hands in his, stroking the back of her hand with his thumbs, but then right when she though he was going to lean forward and kiss her she was surprised to see him getting down on the floor.

He released her right hand and reached into his pocket, pulling out a little dark blue velvet box and opening it, "Lara, we've been through a lot together, I know it hasn't really been that long, but I feel like I've loved you my whole life, will you do me the honour of marrying me?" he asked warmly, yet nervously.

Lara smiled, she was still trying to get her head around the fact that this was really happening, but she knew the answer, "Yes" she beamed, "Yes, I'd love that".

Peter pulled out the gold ring and placed it on her wedding finger, it was simple yet beautiful, "I love it, it's beautiful" Lara smiled.

"Not as beautiful as you" he whispered as he sat up in the chair next to her and wrapped his arms around her, "I love you so much".

"I love you too".

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On a plane flying over the Pacific Ocean Serena's father sat waiting for his arrival to Sydney airport. He hadn't been back there since just after his daughters death. He wished he could of left on better terms, but he couldn't change that now he could only deal with it, why he was doing this he still didn't know, but it was going to be done, he got a phone call from someone claiming to know Serena, they wanted revenge on her behalf, not that it was what she would of really wanted, but for now he had to make himself believe it was, he had to make himself think he was doing one last thing for her to make up for all his mistakes. He had to go through with the plan, wrong or right, it was what he had to do.

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"So are you sure you want to stay?" Rose asked one last time as Boyd grabbed Izzy's Pram and wheeled it to the door.

"Yeah I really need the rest" Danielle lied, "but tell Jack I said happy birthday".

"Alright then, but if you change your mind then just give us a call and we'll get you a cab ok?" Boyd told her.

"Ok, I will" she smiled as they left the house. As soon as they were gone and she could hear the car driving down the drive way she turned around and headed down the set of stairs on the right, making her way down the hall way past all the bedrooms and came to the end where the tiles started. She turned to her left and looked down the small flight of stairs that lead to the basement, she was going to find out what was in there, and nothing was going to stop her this time. "Well here goes" she told herself before taking in a deep breath and making her way down.

_Author note: Next chapter's the last chapter of this fic._

_Next time:_

_Plans unfold as the pieces fall together._

_What's in the basement? (I promise you'll find out this time, for all we know there could be nothing to fear at all)_

_Someone's dark side is reveled_

_Please review, I won't be putting up the last chapter until I've got at least two._


	50. It can always get worse

_Hey guys, this chapter is a lot longer than the other ones cause I didn't want to give to much away in the previous chapters. Anyway here it is:_

**Warning: not suitable for children, contains violence.**

_Chapter number 50. It can always get worse_

Danielle made her way into the basement and closed the door behind her, reaching for the light switch that lighted up the room.

She looked around the large concrete room, there were hundreds and hundreds of boxes, all neatly placed and piled up on top of each other so high that they almost reached the roof, there was a pathway down the middle of the room formed like a corridor with walls of cardboard boxes. She walked down it until she reached the end where it separated so that she could got left or right, looking both ways before choosing she decided to go right, looking around curiously as she walked.

As she reached the corner there was a metal topped table with rolled up papers on top, carefully she reached out and unrolled one of them reading it's contents out loud, "16th of December 2013... wait that's today..." she commented scrolling further down the page, "Hit list-" she paused looking further down to see a list of names, "No, no, I'm dreaming" she trembled, chucking the paper back on the table, and looking along it too see a black case that she'd seen before... she just couldn't figure out where... 'wait... Fred had one like that" she throught to herself.

She picked up a cloth from the table and placed it over her hand as she opened the case and looked inside shocked at what she saw... it was a gun. Freaking out completely she dropped the cloth and ran, turning off the light and closing the basement door, leaping up the stairs and racing into her room where she slammed the door and slid down it on her back until she touched the floor. A tear ran down her face, this couldn't be happening, her mother was supposed to be the evil one in her family, but now that she knew the truth she didn't think Janae was all that bad.

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Frank (Serena's father) make his way in the dark along the west wall of the Yabbie creek prison. He knew exactly what he had to do, he'd gone over it a million times on the plane, '8, 9, 10, 11' he thought to himself as he walked past each metal grated window, '15, 16, 17, 18, 19' he stopped as he reached the nineteenth one and pushed a large rock up against the wall so that he could stand on it and look in, and sure enough there Matt was waiting for him right as he'd been told.

"Well it's about time" Matt whispered in frustration.

"Shhh keep your voice down" he snapped quietly, as he pulled a screw driver out from the inside of his jacket and began to unscrew the screws that were in screwed into the stone bricks at the bottom of the bars that held Matt in the prison.

He had to do this, he'd been through it many times in his head, he had to do this for Serena, not that it would have been what she wanted, but to keep himself sane he had to convince himself that she would of wanted this. A few weeks ago he'd gotten a phone call about Jack his son in law that he'd never met, this guy had told him that he was now with Serena's best friend. He'd said that he'd been a close friend of Serena's and wanted to make things right for her, which unknown to Frank was a load of complete garbage.

"Would you harry up already?" Matt said impatiently.

"Yeah I'm doing my best" Frank insured him.

"What about Scott's number did you get that?" Matt asked, running through all the last minute things in his head.

"Yeap, I told you everything's under control".

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Jack twirled Martha around before gliding her back in towards him in the middle of the Holden's lounge room, he was glad to get some time alone with her before the place would be filled with people, so far today he'd been pretty much surrounded by other people.

"So I forgot to ask earlier if you were ok" Jack broke the silence.

"Of course I'm ok" she smiled looking up at him while moving her hands from around his waist to snake around his neck.

"That's good, after lunch today when you came in you seemed a bit stressed".

"Oh yeah, I went into Yabbie creek to get my car washed but ended up in a huge line" she lied.

"Bummer".

"Yeah anyway I better go upstairs and make sure Scott's still right to watch Dylan tonight" Martha explained releasing her grip on Jack and pulling away.

"Aww do you have to?" Jack winged pulling her back in.

"Yes, people are going to be here any minute".

"How about we just ditch this party and go some place nice, just the two of us" Jack grinned leaning forward and planting a quick kiss on her lips.

"You can't do that, your the guest of honour" she exclaimed, "but save that thought for tomorrow night ok?"

"Alright I think I'll cope with that".

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"Yeah of course everything's ready" Scott persuaded Matt who was on the other end of the phone he was talking on.

"Why would I lie? This is what I want to, remember" He argued pacing his way around his room, he wished Matt would take his word for it, he'd never let him down, and tonight everything was going to go to plan, he'd make sure of it.

"Scott" Martha's voice called out as she opened the door and gave him the biggest fright of his life.

"Um I've got to go" Scott said quickly hanging up and turning around like he'd done something wrong.

"You alright Scott? you look like someone screamed blue murder" she laughed.

Gosh murder, that was the last definition he'd thought of for what was going to happen tonight, he'd just thought of it as revenge, well not on his behalf, his part was making sure that his secret wasn't exposed, that was why he was doing this, he'd been blackmailed.

Jesse had found out about what he'd done to Hayley, he hadn't been happy either, Hayley was like a little sister to Jesse. Just lucky for him that Jesse was messed up, otherwise he wouldn't of suggested such a crazy way of making it up to him.

"Earth to Scott" Martha exclaimed waving her hands in front of Scott's face, "did you just hear a word I was saying?"

"Um sorry" Scott said shaking his head quickly to wake himself up.

"Anyway, I was wondering if you were still fine to watch Dylan tonight up here?"

"Yeah sure" he smiled, "I wasn't really in the mood for all the questions that would be asked, especially about Hayley" he added, lying straight through his teeth. He hadn't told anyone the real story about Hayley, he couldn't, instead he'd told them that she'd taken off with Noah and he hadn't seen either of them since.

"Yeah, it must be hard".

"Well I'm sure I'll be more comfortable taking about it as I get used to it".

"Yeah, well I'm sure the music will be loud enough to hear from down stairs, so I'm sure you and Dylan will still get a few dances" she smiled.

"Yeah".

"Well anyway, Dylan's in his room, have fun I better get down stairs, people will be here any minute" she told him.

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_2 hours later_

Martha made her way down the cold passage way of the prison, she'd left the party about half an hour ago, she couldn't stay there, everyone was so happy and all she could think about was the brick that got thrown at her car yesterday. She walked uneasily toward the bars of Jesse's cell, it was dark and cold and she found it hard to believe that not that long ago she'd been to a place like this often to visit Jack. She shivered as she tried to ask herself if this was really going to fix anything, she'd convinced herself earlier that facing Jesse himself was going to help her come to terms with things, Jack had one convinced her to face Corey after he had hurt her, and it had helped, she just hoped that it would work this time too.

"Hello Martha" Jesse Smirked at her as she sat down, "I knew you'd come around, I knew you'd see that I'm the one for you".

Martha felt disgusted, now she wished she hadn't come, "gosh get it thought that think head of yours that I'm never going to be with you would you?" she snapped.

"Well hello to you too babe" he laughed.

"Don't call me that".

"Why not, you know you love it".

"You really are messed up, you know why? Cause you've got some weird fantasy on that messed up head of yours. Your the one on the wrong side of the bars Jesse, I can get up and go when ever I want, but you, your stuck in there with no control, what ever you had planed is history, it's over Jesse face it" Martha finished giving off a sort of half chuckle.

"It's not the end yet Martha" Jesse told her, leaning forward to whisper, "It's only just about to begin sweetheart" he whispered coldly before sitting back in his set upright and giving her a controlling smirk. "Let the games begin" he glared and evil glare.

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Back at the Holden's place people were beginning to leave the party.

"Well congratulations to both of you" Beth exclaimed to Peter and Lara.

"Thanks" Peter smiled, "well we better get going then".

"Yeah we should" Lara sighed, "thanks for inviting us though".

"Oh your welcome" Beth told them before being interrupted by Jack.

"Have you guys seen Martha anywhere?" he asked, seeming concerned.

"Not in the last half hour no" Beth answered as Peter and Lara left, "I'm sure she's fine".

"Yeah your probably right" Jack agreed calming down, "anyway I'm just going to go for a walk".

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Scott sat as he watched Dylan play, he couldn't believe he was actually going to do this but he knew he had to make himself anyway. Calmly he got up and walked halfway down the stairs to see if anyone was around, there was only Tony and his mum chatting.

"Hey Dylan how about I read you a story and put you to bed, your mum will kill me if she finds out i let you stay up this late" he explained helping Dylan get up and go to his room. He closed the door and instead of getting a book out he reached into his pocket and pulled out some rope and a tea towel, 'well here goes' he thought to himself.

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Jack walked through the dark along the path at the edge of the beach, the moon shone across the water, glistening along a trail in the ripples of the waves. He smiled at this, he'd missed it so much, before his life had turned upside down he used to take this place for granted, but now he promised himself that he would never do that again.

Up ahead of him he could see another person walking along the path towards his direction, 'probably just another person out enjoying the view' he thought to himself, although he couldn't help but fell a little uneasy about the stranger making his way towards him in the darkness, alone. The person was unrecognizable, he was not much taller than Jack, his build was fairly strong yet not dangerous, well that's only what it looked like anyway, little did he know, this stranger was a threat to him, someone who wanted him dead, someone who was out for revenge. He was dressed in black, a gun hidden in the inside pocket of his hooded jacket, as he turned his head towards the ocean, the hood that had been hiding his face from the light of the moon suddenly let in the light, showing his identity, it was none other than Matt.

He was supposed to be still in jail, locked away and as far as he was concerned they should of thrown away the key, he stepped closer to Jack, now only a meter or two away. He slowly used both hands to pull his hood away from his face, letting it dangle behind him, as he studied Jack in front of him he realized that now was the time to finish things off, now was when he would finally make things right, he was supposed to wait another hour, but he had to do it now. He unzipped his jacket fiddling around for his gun.

"What do you think your doing here?" Jack asked slowly taking a step backwards.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Matt blabbed back pulling out the gun and pointing it at Jack.

Jack, felling helpless threw his hands up in the air on ether side of him, he was scared, the haunting memories of the events on the night of Sean's death playing over and over in his head, except this time he wasn't the one with the gun, Matt was, and there was nothing he could do, he was defenseless, a sight not many people had seen there much loved cop in. "Matt, you don't have to do this" he started.

"Yes I do!" he yelled trembling, "I'm giving you what you deserve".

Jack could see the look of fear in Matt's eyes, the gun he was holding with both hands was shaking from his fear. Fighting for his life, Jack lashed out hitting Matt to the ground as he pushed hard on his chest. The gun that had been shaking flew to the ground next to them both. Hearing the sound of it fall to the ground they both stopped their wrestling and looked at it where it sat on it's side on the concrete path, there eyes imediently focused back on each other and a fight broke out, both trying to stop the other from reaching out and snatching the gun from it's position.

Matt paused for a moment, "This is for what you did to Sean" he hissed before using all his strength to roll Jack over so that he could give him one hard punch in the face. He then used one arm to hold Jack down and the other to reach out and grab the fire arm from the path. When it was safely in his hands he stood up regaining the position of having two hands firmly holding the gun out towards Jack. Jack slowly got up on his feet his hands once again up on ether side of him, begging for mercy, "any last words holden?" he said firmly. He knew what he wanted for revenge, and he knew what he had to do to get it, so he did what he had to do, shotting one defined bullet in the direction of Jack, hitting him and towering him to the hard ground of cement.

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Tony walked down the upstairs hall way on his way to bed, going past Dylan's room on his way, and for some reason he decided to check on his grand son. Opening the door he came across the sight of Scott tieing Dylan up.

"What the hell do you think your doing?"

"Um" Scott jumped looking up and racing to the door to grab Tony and pull him into the room, this wasn't in the plan, but now he was going to have to deal with one extra person than he'd planned to.

"Let go of me" Tony squirmed as Scott tied him up and pushed him into a chair.

"Don't even think of moving" Scott warned pulling out a gun.

"Scott why are you doing this?"

"I'm doing this for Hayley" he snapped, "you didn't honestly believe that she just walked out on me did you?"

"Well-"

"I killed her Tony, I killed her, and little Noah, it was an accident, they wouldn't want me to be charged, so I had to cover it up, and that ment keeping people quiet, that's why I'm doing this, I'm sorry Tony, but you just happened to get yourself caught up in this, and now your just going to have to deal with it".

"Scott if someone's blackmailing you-" Tony started.

"Then I just have to go along with it" Scott finished him, "Look this would all just be a lot easier if you cooperated with me. In a minute someone's going to climb a ladder to this window and take you and Dylan away, don't make this difficult of I promise you I'll shot".

"Look why do you have to get Dylan into this? He's four for goodness sakes, let him go and just take me" Tony pleaded.

"But he's already seen to much" Scott told him before being interrupted by at tap on the glass, he looked around to see Frank through the glass, it was almost over now, all he had to do was get them out of here and his work was over, then Frank would deal with them properly.

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"So tonight wasn't all that bad" Rose sighed as she snuggled into the pillow next to Boyd who was already lying down.

"Nah it wasn't" he agreed before getting up.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Just to check on Dani" he lied.

"Alright don't be too long" she yawned.

"Ok" he agreed, leaving the room and walking down the hall way past Danielle's room and down the stairs to the basement to fetch his gun before coming back up and looking back into the bedroom he and Rose shared, she looked so peaceful just laying there, he'd grown to love her over the last couple of years, now it was all going to end, not that he wanted it to, he loved her so much, things had gotten out of control, they were never ment to have a child, let alone start to have a second one, he held out the gun from where he stood at the door, but he couldn't bring himself to shoot. This was his wife, the mother of his children, the woman who was pregnant with his baby right now, he just couldn't do it.

Scared of what he'd gotten himself into he raced into the basement again, making his way to the metal topped table in the corner and taking in a deep breath, he pulled out his phone and found he'd missed two messages, the first was from Frank, 'I dealt with the kid', and the second was from Matt, 'I did it, Jack's dead'.

Boyd hated himself by this point, he through his phone to the ground watching it as it smashed. Then he reached for the gun and put the end right against the temple of his head, he was going to end it all now.

_Author note: Ok so that was the end, please review, even if you've never reviewed before and you absolutely hate this fic i still want to hear from you._

_Thank you to everyone who's encouraged and reviewed over the last three stories that made up this trilogy, It's been great reading all you thoughts and encouragement._


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